Northern Lights and Oceans Dreams
by Undercityrezident
Summary: After his loss at the Unova League, Ash rededicates himself to becoming a Pokemon Master by going on another journey to all the places he had once seen. However, traveling alone finally gets to him and finds repose in a relationship with Dawn. However, when Misty re-enters his life, feelings resurface. How will he handle it? (AshxDawn, AshxMisty, AshxMistyxDawn). Lemons within.
1. Chapter 1: A Life Well Traveled

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any affiliated properties, nor any other properties referenced in this work of fiction.**

**I humbly dedicate this story to the many wonderful Pokémon Fans: from every fan of the games, anime and manga, to the talented artists who render upon paper and screen what our minds can only conceive, all the way to the devoted fanfiction writers who toil with words to create visions of magnificent battles, thrilling plots, and heart-touching (or heart-rending) romances. May your dedication and creativity continue to inspire and awe those around you.**

**For clarification, this story assumes that Ash left Unova after the end of the Unova League Tournament (i.e. Neither the 'Episode N Saga' nor the Decolora Islands Journey occurred, as this story was mostly completed prior to the airing of those episodes).**

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Undercityrezident presents:

**Northern Lights and Ocean Dreams**

**Chapter 1 – A Life Well Traveled**

It had been too long since he had taken to the road. Three years in fact. All the best times of his life had been on his journeys, and he had lingered too long. No matter how long he remained in Pallet, he wouldn't grow as a person or a trainer. He needed to taste the open air, feel the rough dirt beneath his shoes, feel the heat of a campfire in the wild and experience the wonders of the world. He needed to battle strong trainers, revisit past locales, discover new ones, and become the master he always wanted to be.

It for these reasons and more, that Ash Ketchum had once again decided to journey among the many lands and vistas had once visited in his younger days. He hoped that after his years of absence, with his newfound maturity and capacity for understanding, that he might see and learn new things about the world that he had once traversed. He had yet to attain his lifelong dream of becoming a Pokémon Master, and he now understood that he would never reach that goal without shaking off the tendencies and habits of his more youthful self. He had learned a great deal during his travels, but he realized, after yet another disappointing loss, that he needed to change himself drastically in order to progress towards his goal.

Since his travels in Unova, Ash had elected to take a break from his travels and concentrate on strict training. He accomplished this in Pallet Town, of course. This was met with great joy from his mother, who after years of only seeing him between legs of his journeys and the occasional phone call, could now spend almost an indefinite amount of time with him. She, of course, was completely proud of all his accomplishments and urged him to continue his quest for his ultimate goal, all the while jubilant at the fact that she got to spend more time with her son.

Her fussing over him didn't end there though. On Ash's sixteenth birthday, mere months following his return to his hometown, his mother invited many of his old friends from near and abroad to celebrate the occasion. Of course not everyone she invited was able to make it. Most of those who could not were those from distant regions. Brock, of course, had attended without a second thought, having some time between tests in his studies to become a Pokémon Doctor. May, Max, and surprisingly, Drew, had arrived. Ash was not aware that May had decided to bring him as her plus one. Dawn had miraculously made it, having found a lull in her contest schedule back in Sinnoh, where she feverishly continued to work on her dream of becoming Top Coordinator. Unova was a tad far for Iris and Cilan to make it, but they sent their best wishes. Of the many surprises that Ash discovered in the list of absences, Misty was the biggest. Cerulean, while certainly not that close to Pallet, was not terribly far either. When he asked his mother why Misty was unable to attend, she had given him a seemingly standard response that she had too many duties to fulfill at her gym. This made the aspiring master quite depressed, but he fought through it and ended up having a good time.

Of course, Ash was not always content to stay at home. He often went to visit Brock in Pewter City, as it was only few hours' flight on the back of Charizard or Pidgeot for him. Having Charizard back was a great boon to Ash. It was only a few months into his new home-set lifestyle that Charizard elected to return to the Oak Ranch from the Charicific Valley in Johto. Upon his return, Professor Oak quickly informed Ash, and the two were reunited in a heartwarming, if somewhat toasty reunion. Regardless of Charizard's old flamethrower antics, which often left Ash in a suit of soot, he was certainly was glad to have him back on his team in a more consistent capacity. Pidgeot, too, rejoined Ash. It was a heartfelt reunion in which Ash apologized profusely for breaking his promise to come back sooner. Pidgeot, while somewhat put off by the appearance of his trainer so many years later than expected, forgave and accepted his trainer yet again. He took his place on Ash's team once more, confident in leaving the flock he had acted as protector for so long since many of the Pidgeotto had evolved since that day five years ago.

Of course, Charizard and Pidgeot were not the only old friends Ash had reconnected with in his time living in Kanto. He made quite sure to visit his old friends at the ranch, namely the Professor himself, Tracey who had continued to work as his assistant, and all of his other Pokémon. Occasionally even Gary stopped by to visit his grandpa. Ash always made sure to challenge him when he was in town.

There was one notable person that Ash had continuously tried to contact, but had been unsuccessful in doing so. Misty continued to evade him. Whether by bad fortune, or her own efforts, Misty was never in the building when he phoned the Cerulean Gym; nor was she present in the city at all when he went to the gym in person. He made many requests to have her call back, and he even tried to write letters to her asking for a reply as well. No response.

Despite this setback, which made Ash feel strangely sour and depressed, he continued his training in earnest. He set his sights on the Indigo Plateau Conference after his first year of training. As usual, he did well, but again fell short. He made it to the top four, but faltered against a strong opponent who beat him 6 to 4. This disappointed Ash greatly. He had dedicated himself to almost nothing but training. He didn't spend time walking from town to town, nor did he have to deal with Team Rocket's interference anymore. He thought he had focus. He thought he put in the time. And yet, he found no real improvement in his standing in the Pokémon League. Regardless of this failure, Ash did what he always did. He vowed to do better, and continued as though nothing could stop him.

His seventeenth birthday came and went. He continued his training, strengthening both himself and his Pokémon. He dedicated himself to overcoming both his and his Pokémon's weaknesses. He taught them moves that counteracted the weaknesses to their types, while keeping in mind to keep their already pronounced strengths sharp. Again, when the time came, he entered the Indigo League and competed well. By this time, the boy prodigy was now well and powerful as well as recognized. He progressed through the league with ease, until the semi-finals. There again, he met a powerful opponent. This time, he triumphed, and made it to the finals for the first time in his career as a trainer. His victory sparked a surge of confidence in himself and adoration from his fans. This would be his downfall, sadly. He thought himself unbeatable when he came to battle his last opponent in the tournament. He was crushed. He knocked out only two Pokémon from his opponent's team. In the end Ash knew why. He had grown overconfident, and he had allowed the adulations of his fans to get to him, distracting him from proper tactics and execution. He cursed himself and vowed never to allow that to happen again.

Another year passed, as did another birthday: his eighteenth. This time around, he declined a birthday party, despite much protest from his mother. He claimed he needed to free himself of excessive praise and that it took away from the time he needed to train. In this year, his objectives in training changed. He shifted focus from his loyal companion's moves towards tactics; such that he would be ready to counter opponents of all kinds. He matched speed against power, defence against speed, learned how to gain the upper hand in contests of strength, and learned the value of feints and deception in his battle style. Even as his mother grew worried over his obsession, he reassured her that this was all natural. He reminded her that he would never achieve his dreams if he was constantly distracted by others. Through all this, even with the strain he put on this partners, he remembered the most important lesson that he had learned in his youth: That the bond with his Pokémon was the most important thing of all. He pushed them, but never too far. He wanted to be a master, but not at too high a cost. However, just as he was in his youth, he was obsessed with his Pokémon. As a result, his connections to people began to suffer. Brock barely heard from him anymore. The little communication that he had with Cilan, Iris, May and Dawn nearly ceased altogether. He even stopped trying to get in touch with Misty.

When the time came, Ash decided that instead, a change in venue was in order. Rather than compete at the Indigo Plateau, he decided to participate in the Silver Conference. As expected for a trainer of his caliber, he battled almost flawlessly in the early rounds. Of course the competition ramped up as he ascended further up the tournament ladder, but he still was a dominating force in the tournament. For the second time, he made it to the finals. His focus was razor sharp. He barely heard the roar of the audience and his manner was confident, yet cautious. He knew his opponent's reputation. Throughout the tournament, they had both been the stars, finding victory in their own ways. Ash had advanced through sheer cunning and surprise strategy, with a dose of strength when needed. His opponent rose to the top of the tournament through sheer strength, with power that seemed utterly unbelievable.

Up to that point, that battle was likely the best that Ash had ever fought in his life. In the end it came down to his Pikachu and his opponent's reputedly most powerful Pokémon, a Tyranitar that stood imposingly tall, even for its species. Despite having the disability of not being able to use electric based moves on it, Pikachu and Ash fought valiantly, almost bringing the behemoth to its knees. But in the end, it stood strong, while the little yellow mouse tired. The match between the two Pokémon took nearly fifteen minutes, and in the end the Tyranitar landed but a single blow on Ash's starter. One was all it took. A year's worth of sorrows and pain almost jumped out of his throat at that moment. He was sincerely proud of the efforts his companions had put in all year and especially throughout that last week. But he still felt crushed. However, he managed to keep himself composed and offered his hand in sportsmanlike fashion to his opponent, who was still clearly impressed.

It was then Ash decided that something was wrong. He wasn't sure what, but he knew there was. Everything he had learned, he applied to his training and to his battles. Yet he could not climb this seemingly insurmountable barrier that was the league tournaments. If he couldn't win a league, he couldn't challenge the Elite Four of that particular region. If he couldn't win a tournament, he certainly couldn't defeat the Elite Four, and if he couldn't defeat the Elite Four, he certainly couldn't defeat a Regional Champion. If he couldn't defeat a Champion, there was no way he would ever become a Pokémon Master.

He went home, proud of his Pokémon, but still somehow ashamed of himself. His friends had executed their orders flawlessly, and had given it a full one hundred percent, if not more. That led him to one conclusion. He was the problem. Despite his efforts to compensate for his companion's weaknesses, and despite his efforts to develop unique and innovative strategies, he still could not win a league. He did everything an advanced trainer should do. He had built upon all his experiences and lessons learned.

Then it hit him.

It wasn't that there was something wrong with what he was doing. It was with what he had done. He learned the basics of Pokémon training as a child. A naive little child who thought that anything he did was the epitome of greatness. Granted he had been shown the errors of his ways by many people: Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, teachers, fellow trainers, Brock, and especially Misty. However, they had not fixed everything he had done wrong, or learned incorrectly. Underneath all the complex tactics, lay a faulty foundation. Age had taught him many things, and helped to correct many problems, but there were some things that had to be experienced to be learned. He realized that he saw his journeys through a child's eyes. While treasured memories that they were, he needed to revisit them, with a new perspective; an adult perspective.

On his nineteenth birthday, he bid his mother and assembled friends in Pallet a fond farewell. He was clad in a new red and white hat with a black pokéball sigil in the front-center, a new red vest, black shirt tee-shirt, blue jeans, red and black shoes, and his trusty green backpack. He departed his home and left for another journey, this time electing to start in Johto. He mentally noted to himself that he wanted to conclude his tour in Kanto, rather than begin it there. He could have flown on the back of Charizard if he had so chose, but he decided, that he were to see the world again, it would be from the exact same height, or rather a few feet higher than before. He had grown much taller from his rather diminutive height at the age of ten, but all the same, he wanted to walk and see the world up close, rather than from above.

The only real difference, aside from his now slightly wiser adult mind, was that he was travelling alone. Even if he had wanted to, he couldn't pull Brock away from his studies now; he was close to graduating and becoming a full-fledged Pokémon Doctor. Tracey was still happily working as an assistant to Professor Oak. Misty, while confirmed to be still in control of the gym by her sisters, was still somehow unreachable to him. May and Drew, now officially a couple, were travelling the contest circuit, and he didn't feel it wise to intrude. Dawn, as far as he knew, was taking a well-deserved rest back with her mother in Twinleaf Town. Cilan was still working to become an S-Class Connoisseur, an art that was still only prevalent in Unova. Iris was now training directly under Drayden, and it was likely that she would become his successor as Opelucid City Gym Leader. Even if his friends didn't have their reasons, he decided that he needed to make this journey alone. If he was going to become a better trainer, he couldn't always rely on his friends to fix his problems for him.

He visited all the same places he did when he traveled the Johto region last time. He challenged gyms once again. He clearly outclassed the majority of them, his only difficulty having been with Clair, whose dragons had grown substantially stronger since his last encounter. However, he battled with them for the insights, not the challenge. Each gym leader always offered some nugget of wisdom, which he took to heart. Battling was far from the only thing he did on his journey. He spoke to many old friends, made a few new ones, and of course, helped where he could. If one thing hadn't changed with age, it was his kind and generous spirit. However, deep down, Ash was still conflicted. He felt that he was slowly losing his identity as a person. He was less himself than he was as a child, growing more into an amalgam of ideas and strategies rather than as a human being. He did what came naturally to him, helping all those he came across, but it seemed to lack the same impact it once had for him. He felt gratified that he helped people, but the joy wasn't there. He couldn't understand why.

He concluded his travels through Johto and moved on to Hoenn. Just as he did before, he met many old and new friends and challenged the gym leaders. Norman and Juan both proved to still be quite challenging to him, much to his surprise and approval. While he had hoped to catch May and Drew, he found that they had departed to Kanto not too long ago, to his disappointment. Regardless, he moved onwards, next visiting distant Unova. He repeated the process he set for himself in the previous two regions, this time getting lucky enough to meet both Cilan and Iris during his lap around the region.

After his revisit to Unova, he celebrated his twenty-second birthday on-board the ferry taking him from Unova to the northerly Sinnoh region. It was a lonely affair, and could not be very much considered a celebration, rather just an excuse to eat some nicer food. That was another aspect of Ash that had simply not changed since his childhood. He could still pack away food like it was no problem at all and had little compunction to curb his appetite. However, he recognized the consequences of such actions, and continued to exercise alongside his Pokémon to keep in shape.

In this particular visit to a restaurant, he was eating happily until realized that something was missing. He was gobbling his food down like normal, when a waiter came to ask him a question. He responded, albeit with his mouth full. After the encounter, he realized, that no one had scolded him for talking with his mouth full. The absence of such an action was a strange sensation to Ash, but he quickly shrugged it off and wolfed down the rest of his meal.

That night, before going to sleep, he took a good long look in the mirror. The reflection in the mirror was not the boy he was once was before. He had grown taller by quite a bit, much to his satisfaction, quite tired of having been so short for so long. His raven black hair, as always, resembled a nest of sorts, but was a bit longer than he used to keep it, though he kept it trimmed. He was not the long-hair type. His body had grown more muscular as he travelled; his arms were slightly bulkier, but were in no danger of being able to match that of a Machoke. His legs had undergone a similar change, as excessive amounts of walking had definitely put some muscles on them as well. His face had grown a bit, no longer that baby-faced round that it used to be. It was a bit longer now, and he had a stronger chin. His strong brown eyes remained as potent as ever, though lately he wondered if the light in there was dimming. That was his concern. He knew his body was fine; at least that's what he felt. It was his mind and his heart he worried about. He decided that he would make a final decision at the end of his journey through Sinnoh. Maybe this time, he would figure it out.

It was not long before he arrived in Sinnoh after his birthday. He decided from the port in Sunyshore he would move clockwise around the region challenging gyms and meeting people. For a while, it was just as it had been in the previous regions. That is, until he happened upon the small hamlet called Twinleaf Town. He thought it would be fun to visit his old friend and her mom, provided they were there. Upon arriving, the first place he wanted to visit was Dawn's house. He hadn't seen her in person in over five years. He knocked on her door upon arriving and was happy, though certainly not surprised, to see her mother answer the door.

"Ash, dear!" she said hugging him quickly and loosely, "It's been far too long! How have you been?"

Pikachu, from atop Ash's shoulder, cried out his name in recognition and waved at her jubilantly.

He replied quickly and awkwardly in a voice much deeper than she remembered, "Wow, it has been a while hasn't it. I've been doing well, how about you?"

"I suppose you've come to visit Dawn?" she asked, motioning to let him into the house.

He gladly accepted the invitation and stepped inside. The house was much the same as it was all those years ago the last time he was in Sinnoh. It was tidy, nicely decorated with family pictures, trophies and ribbons from both the mother's and daughter's contests. It was not all too dissimilar from Ash's own home, though it had a more modern feel to it.

"I wouldn't mind to catch up with her, though I'm just as glad to see you after such a long time. You were a great host the last time I was here, and I know very well that I was a handful back then," Ash said with a small chuckle.

She replied with a small laugh of her own, and replied, "Oh you weren't that bad. The only issue was that it took some... excessive force to get you out of bed in the morning!" She let out another laugh as she went to the kitchen, continuing to heckle Ash as she went, "In many ways, you and Dawn weren't too different at that age!"

She yelled from adjacent room, "Dawn will be back shortly, could I get you something to drink?"

Ash considered for a moment then answered with some enthusiasm, "If you have some kind of juice, that would be great."

"Of course, we have fresh made orange juice in the fridge! I'll get it straight away!" Johanna announced gleefully.

"Pikapi, chu pika chu!" Pikachu exclaimed from Ash's shoulder, swiftly jumping down and pointing toward the kitchen.

"I guess you're hungry aren't you, buddy?" Ash inquired knowingly.

Pikachu squeaked his name and nodded quickly. Ash walked to the kitchen with Pikachu in tow and proceeded to ask Johanna with some timidity, "I don't mean to impose, but would you happen to have some poffins? Pikachu is kind of hungry, and I remember him liking some of the ones you made last time we were here."

"Think nothing of it!" Johanna answered, glancing back at Ash as she searched the fridge for the orange juice, "You're a close friend of Dawn's! It's no imposition at all!" She placed the orange juice on the counter beside the fridge and then pulled out a bowl of poffins and handed it to Ash. She looked at Pikachu with kind eyes and told him, "Enjoy!"

Ash quickly placed the bowl on the floor and Pikachu, much like his trainer would, began to gobble the food like there was tomorrow. Ash gave an almost quiet laugh as he accompanied Johanna back to the living room.

"He certainly has a good appetite doesn't he?" Johanna noted as she sat down on the couch opposite Ash.

"Just like me," Ash joked, a wide grin spreading across his face as he glanced towards the kitchen.

"So how's your journey been? I heard from Dawn you're travelling again, though I haven't heard much else," Johanna inquired casually as she took a drink of her orange juice.

Ash did the same and then replied, "It's been good. I've been learning a lot, and I'm glad to have seen a few people I met a long time ago again."

"Hmmm," Johanna made a sound of consideration then pressed, "You usually keep some friends along with you. Not this time?"

Ash's face scrunched up in surprise and confusion. He wasn't exactly sure how to answer the question. He wasn't sure if he knew the answer himself. Lately, he had been questioning his notion of whether or not he should have started travelling in a group. He had met some people, new and old in all three preceding regions that he could have travelled with, if only for a short time, but he decided that he needed to be free of distractions to truly perceive the flaws in his battle style and his knowledge of Pokémon. Lately, however, he felt four years of loneliness catching up to him.

He fixed up his face, and smiled at Johanna and said, "I certainly think it would be fun to travel with somebody, but right now, I think it's best I go on my own. I need to figure some things out for myself so I can grow as a trainer." He took another swig of orange juice and held back a belch. He really didn't want to be so rude in front of Dawn's mother. He thought of how funny it was that he wouldn't have even have considered that rude back when he was younger.

Johanna, however, did not miss the reaction that Ash's face presented upon being asked, but decided it was not her place to pursue it. In fact, the best person to pursue it just walked through the front door.

"Hi mom!" the young woman shouted from the doorway, not even glancing toward the living room as she hung up her dark pink coat. She continued oblivious to the visitor currently looking at her from one of the couches, "So I just had a thought. I heard that he's back in Sinnoh, so maybe I'll ambush him at one of the gyms a- a- a- ," Dawn trailed off as she hung up her coat and scarf on the hook near the door. She had finally decided to look into the living room to see her mother smiling sweetly and Ash with a smirk on his face. The teen froze momentarily with a look that seemed a mix of incredulous surprise and embarrassment.

This gave Ash the time he needed to look Dawn over well. While her mother had not changed much in the intervening years, Dawn had changed quite a bit. He had only seen her on video phone a few scant times since his sixteenth birthday, but he only seen her face during their conversations. Her face, though more familiar, had changed somewhat. She still had a sweet and innocent looking visage, though her cheeks were not quite as rounded as they had once been. Her nose, eyes and lips, however, seemed to have been frozen in time, being just as vibrant and cute as all those years ago. Her eyes were just the same shade of deep blue, but seemed all the more striking now. Her hair was even fuller than it used to be. It hung down, ending just mid-way on her back. Various braids decorated the water-like tresses that framed her face and shoulders. Her body however, was where most of the changes had taken place. He form was still quite slender and petite, though she still stood taller than before. Her slender dainty arms and legs were quite gorgeous and delicate. Ash had rarely seen her without that pink scarf in her younger days, and could only thank her now for allowing that sumptuous neck to be exposed to him. Her bust had grown somewhat, but still retained a proportioned size to the rest of her small body. And though Ash tried desperately to ignore it, he saw and could help but admire the cute butt that he saw in profile to the rest of her slender form.

In direct contrast to Dawn was her companion who had trotted through the door just afterwards. Piplup shouted his name in jubilance and rushed over to Pikachu in the kitchen, who had momentarily taken a moment to stop gorging himself. The two embraced like two long-lost brothers and began to chatter as they proceeded further into the kitchen; away from the developing situation in the living room.

Dawn finally regain her composure and resumed her stuttering until she actually formed a coherent, if short word, "A- a- a- Ash?"

Ash, smirk still present, gave a small wave, "Hi Dawn? Miss me?"

Several emotions went through her mind and she struggled to sort them out. Chief among them were both happiness and shock, but a small well of indignant anger was there as well. She first overcame her shock and actually moved towards Ash, who stood up in response. A smile graced her face finally, and she squeaked and wrapped around Ash in a madly blissful hug. Then the third of the emotions surfaced and she released Ash. The twenty-two year-old man did not see the slap coming, not even for a second.

Dawn began a rant, something unusual for her, "What the hell, Ash! Don't you ever call anyone anymore! I had to hear from Volkner of all people that you were even in Sinnoh! What have you been doing for the last three years anyways! I heard from Iris maybe a few months ago but barely anything before or after! What's your deal! You just went dark on us before the Silver Conference four years ago! Then you just up and disappear! I don't think you've even talked to your Mom in all the time you were trotting around world have you! You should be more considerate!"

Ash paused, either from shock from the slap, or from sheer force of the ongoing rant. He tried to say something, but words seemed to fail him. Even between the angry words being spouted at him, Dawn was a vision. Something he realized he sorely missed. A swirl of emotions welled up within him and he couldn't explain it. His understanding of these emotions may have come later than it did for most, but dense as he used to be, he now understood what feelings like this could mean. However, he had never actually felt them first hand, and it confused him. Having not seen her for so long, and seeing how much she changed, he immediately began to regret not having kept contact.

Then it clicked in his head again. In his attempts to better himself as a trainer, he had done the same thing he had foolishly done as a child. He neglected those who cared for him. He had tried to rectify this problem in his mid-teens, but the goal of becoming a Pokémon Master again lodged itself in his mind and had blinded him to all else around him. He knew that he derived joy from being with and training his loyal companions. But he knew far less joy than he once had because he had no one to share it with.

No friends to share his accomplishments.

No one to cheer for as they strove alongside him.

No one for him admire and to receive admiration from.

No one for him to care for, nor anyone to care for him.

It was just himself and his seemingly endless desire to better himself in the eyes of his peers and his Pokémon. That would change right now.

With this in mind, he gently laid a hand onto the shoulder of the _still_ ranting Dawn. Shocked by this action, she immediately fell silent. They looked deep into each other's eyes and Ash quietly, but with utmost conviction in his words gave a simple request, "Please, come with me, Dawn."

Both Dawn and Johanna's eyes grew wide in the wake of those five words. Dawn was speechless and Johanna elected to get up and give the two of them the room.

Dawn blinked several times, as though somehow, her eyes could speak in the way her mouth could not at the moment. She must have realized this and finally seized control of her faculties and blurted out, "What?"

Ash put his other hand onto Dawn's shoulder so that now held her with both. He continued to gaze into her deep blue eyes and began solemnly, "I'm an idiot. I thought that by myself, I'd be able to discover why I keep," he sighed and his eyes fell to the floor, "coming up short."

Dawn instinctively remembered the last two tournaments she had watched Ash in: The Indigo Plateau finals and the Silver Conference finals. Between the two of them, she noted a marked improvement, but in both cases Ash had lost. She remembered her own experience of a similar nature. Twice in a row, she failed to even pass the appeals rounds in contests when she travelled with Ash. Like him, she had become discouraged, and even thought about ending her career as a co-ordinator. But it wasn't like Ash to quit. But he tended to make other negative decisions instead. She remembered a number of instances, both on her travels with him and told to her by both Misty and May, where Ash shut himself off from the rest of the group. This had to be, by and far, the worst of all these occurrences and certainly the longest lived.

He continued dejectedly, "I have wandered for three years, looking for why I just can't cross the line from being a good trainer, to a great trainer. I thought a new journey with a new set of eyes could tell me. Granted I've had some good times meeting old, long forgotten friends, making some new ones, seeing how people and places have changed. Yes, I've gained some new skills. Yes, I've learned from the experiences that will serve better in battle and in life. But in the end, it kind of felt empty. You know what I mean?" He looked up again, "Hardly worth being alone. Especially, now that I see being alone is the problem."

Dawn looked at Ash with eyes that threatened to begin a torrent of tears at any moment. But she held back. Instead, she brought Ash in close and hugged him tightly. She never wanted to let go. She saw his pain. She _knew_ his pain. Not just in her inability to make that final step to the title of Top Coordinator, but also for the years she had failed to find a substitute for what she had with Ash. There was no group she could travel with. Anything other than him beside her in their journey felt like a cheap knockoff. A fake. A lie.

A single tear fell from her eye and onto Ash's chest as she hugged him. In that moment, she knew her answer.

"Yes."

Ash grunted in surprise, "Huh?"

"I will come with you! I want to help you be the best. I want to help you discover who you are and what you can become. Just the same as I know you can do for me! " Dawn elaborated, the tears now streaming freely down her cheeks. She took her head from his chest and pulled his forehead to hers. She spoke ever so softly, "Just as you've always done for me."

In the close proximity of each other's faces, she could see now, he was beginning to tear up. He became conscious of this and became embarrassed and tried to break the hug, but Dawn did not relent. Instead she tightened the hug, and brought his head to her shoulder while mirroring the action with her own. She spoke softly in his ear, "Don't worry, no one is judging you here. Master, trainer, or simply man, you are perfect to me."

Ash let out what was probably a small sob; and it was as confirmed by feeling of a teardrop falling onto the back of her shoulder. She rubbed his back reassuringly and for a length of time that neither of them could tell. They simply stood there in their embrace.

At last Ash finally withdrew his face from her shoulder and looked longingly into her eyes. His own spoke volumes about his feelings that his voice never could. Regardless, he knew he had to say something. His mouth managed to curl into the smallest of smiles and he croaked in a half-way broken voice, the only words he could even think to say, "Thank... you... Dawn."

It was at this point that Johanna came into the living room. She saw Ash and Dawn break away from each other slowly, though both of them looked on the verge of falling over without each other's support, both emotionally and literally. Dawn's mother thought of the only thing she could do.

She came over and put her arm around Ash and led him up the stairs. She spoke in the most motherly voice he had heard since his own mother's, "There, there, take some time to rest in the guest bedroom. You can stay the night if you'd like. It's getting late after all."

Ash could do nothing but nod in agreement as she led him into the guest bedroom that he himself had once been allowed to use eight years ago. She gently nudged him in. As she slowly closed the door, she spoke again in the gentlest of tones, "If there's anything at all you need. Don't hesitate to ask." She then finished closing the door and trotted down the stairs.

Dawn lay on the couch, sobbing a quietly. Pikachu and Piplup, having watched all this, finally came over to Dawn. Pikachu was first to address her squeaked at her, "Pikaka?"

"Oh Pikachu!" Dawn mumbled through heaved sobs, "It's good to see you again!"

"Chu chu! Pi!" Pikachu replied, bounding up into the girl's bosom. He curled into a ball and began to snooze, adding his warmth to hers. Piplup jumped up to join them and the three began to drift off.

"Thanks," Dawn chirped through a light sniffle. She lay there, her arm around the little yellow mouse and tiny blue penguin. A shadow of a smile managed to slowly form on the girl's lips as she began to fall asleep.

Johanna watched from the stairway as Dawn's crying slowly ceased. She quietly walked past her, taking a small chance to glimpse her beautiful daughter. She appeared to be asleep now. Johanna let out a small smile as she saw the same one on her daughter's face. It had been an emotional day for the two of them, she noted. She turned to the kitchen and began to make preparations for dinner. She knew that they would both, especially Ash, be hungry after all that.


	2. Chapter 2: Of Wood and Stars

**Chapter 2 – Of Wood and Stars**

The two of them made preparations to leave the day after Ash's fateful arrival at Dawn's house. On the mid-morning after, they left together, clearly both overjoyed to be traveling with one another again. Ash noticed that he was much happier traveling now. Dawn was so much fun to be around. Though sometimes excessively girly, there seemed no way that he could feel anything but upbeat around her. It was as though that one embrace managed to purge all negative emotion from Ash while Dawn's continued company continued to supply him with an excess of joy.

Together, they had a great time in Sinnoh. Ash continued re-challenging the gyms, and dropping in on old friends with Dawn. And while Dawn did not intend to enter the Grand Festival this year, Ash openly encouraged her to enter unofficial contests to keep her skills sharp. With Ash cheering, she performed almost flawlessly; losing only one of the contests she entered along the way.

As the duo journeyed together, their old friendship flourished as it had before. Months of camping, walking, eating and battling together brought them closer than they already were, and something special began to grow from it. Though Ash had changed much in the years since their last adventures, Ash remained rather unskilled when it came to women. It was true that now, he was less dense than he once was, but he still was quite nervous around opposite sex and couldn't express his feelings properly. Dawn, who was much more skilled at reading emotions, saw the signs and began encouraging Ash to do things that brought out these hidden feelings.

One could say their relationship truly began to soar on the night of the blunette's eighteenth birthday. Dawn had been slowly, but surely getting Ash into more intimate though, still chaste, situations with her. Prior to the birthday, Dawn had gotten Ash to come with her to movies whenever they arrived in a major city, had dinners in fancier restaurants that weren't just the fast food joints they normally frequented, and in the wild they would often lay awake at night watching the stars before falling asleep in close proximity to one another. Dawn, herself, had even grown comfortable with allowing Ash to see her in the morning before she fixed her notorious cases of bed-head. All these things and more had gradually brought them closer together, but Dawn made sure that none of these could be perceived as dates, so that Ash would not grow squeamish. Her efforts were rewarded on that very birthday.

They had just arrived in Snowpoint City the day before, and Ash planned to challenge Gym Leader Candice in two days time. The morning of her birthday didn't start out the way Dawn expected though. She awoke in the early to find that Ash was already gone. It struck her as odd, since Ash had retained his boyhood habit of sleeping in late into the morning. She secretly hoped that Ash was planning something great for her special day and had gone out to do something to prepare for it. But, knowing Ash, she wasn't even sure if he was the kind of person to plan a party, so she didn't raise her expectations too high. Dawn was perfectly content with the idea of taking her out to dinner and movie.

Dawn arrived in the lobby after washing up and dressing, walked up to the attending Nurse Joy and inquired, "Have you seen my friend, Ash? Tall, black hair, probably rushing off to train."

The Nurse Joy's eyes flashed in surprise and darted quickly to her side before she straightened up and managed a cheery reply, "Oh! Sorry! Didn't see you there! I think I saw someone by that description come through the lobby early this morning. Don't know what he's up to, but he looked like he was in a rush." The nurse fiddled with her own fingers as she told Dawn this, causing the blunette to raise a curious eyebrow.

"Are you ok, Nurse Joy? You seem tense," Dawn pressed intently.

"Oh... umm..." she stammered for a moment, "I'm expecting someone important. Don't worry about me! I'm just a bit nervous!" The pink-haired woman giggled with her hand over her mouth.

"Oh! Ok, thanks," Dawn nodded in affirmation as she eyed the nurse oddly. Still smiling, Dawn turned about to head outside in her deep pink winter jacket.

"Oh my! I almost forgot!" Nurse Joy shouted as Dawn went to do the door, "You're Dawn right?"

"Yes, I am," Dawn skipped back to the counter.

"I have a message for you. I'm guessing it's from your friend," Nurse Joy informed, taking out a hastily scrawled note, "I'm afraid the writing is terrible, so I hope you can read it. I certainly can't."

"Thanks!" Dawn chirped. She took the note and unfolded it. She recognized it as Ash's sloppy handwriting and raised a curious eyebrow as she tried to decipher it. She managed though, as her company with the man in the past months had allowed her to begin to get the hang of reading the marks that most people would label 'illegible'.

She held it gently and read: _Hi Dawn. Sorry about leaving so early. I just wanted to get some last minute training in. I heard that Candice might be back from her trip early, so I might be able to challenge her sooner than I planned. If we leave tomorrow instead of two days from now, we might be able to make it to Sandalstraw Town in time for you to sign up for the contest there. I'll meet up with you in front of the Pokémon Center this evening if you want to hang out. Have fun! From, Ash._

Dawn was a tad miffed. She was glad Ash was thinking of her for an upcoming contest, but she knew that he was aware of how she wasn't pursuing the Grand Festival this year. The fact that Ash would try to do something completely unnecessary rather than consider her birthday was somewhat dumbfounding and almost insensitive.

Then her mind reeled at the realization of another possibility.

_Could he have forgotten entirely?_

She was suddenly overwhelmed with an intense sadness as she recounted all the possible reasons why he would forget. If the letter was right, he could have been driven into a frenzy to try and train for his battle with the Snowpoint Gym leader since she was returning earlier than expected. It could be that he thought her contest battling was so important, that he merely pushed her birthday out of his mind. Or it could've been the simple fact that he just forgot her about her birthday because he was absent minded. Regardless of the reason, it didn't make Dawn feel any better. She had hoped that in growing closer together, that she and Ash would be able to share special days like this. Now she realized that might not be the case if he couldn't remember them period.

Dawn pocketed the note and walked outside abruptly, trying to hide her emotions from the Nurse Joy who bid her farewell. She went out into the cool air of the northernmost city of Sinnoh, which was not quite as cold as it could've been. The months of their journey had passed into late spring, and even this chilly region couldn't say no to the spring thaw, slow as it was in these northern reaches. Slush and even bare ground could be seen all about now, with a few of the first signs of plant life finally finding rejuvenation in the sun's warming rays.

Dawn didn't mind winter. Being Sinnoh-born and raised, she was used to it, considering her home region was further north than most of its neighbours. Yet, she always loved spring. It carried with it an air of life's rebirth. As natural as it was for a good part of nature to sleep in the winter months, it felt even better to see it awakening and sprouting anew. It was slower at these altitudes and this close to the arctic regions, but even winter had to yield to spring and summer here.

The day drifted by as she walked about the stony streets of Snowpoint. It was not an incredibly populous city, but it did have a nearby port and was the only real settlement around for miles, making it a center for culture even in this remote location. It was because of this that she was able to find ample shopping opportunities for herself. Her mother had sent her a small gift in the form of a lovely necklace for her birthday, though it had arrived early for her convenience yesterday. Regardless Dawn thanked her mother over the videophone, who had also told her to look at her bank account. Dawn was wonderfully surprised to find a sum of money that had an earmark which read: Buy yourself something nice.

After shopping around for some new clothes and preparing to return to the Pokémon Center, she walked past the Trainers' School to hear a familiar voice.

"Well, you're someone I didn't expect to see up here!"

The low, almost throaty voice of someone she knew caused Dawn to whip around and see an orange coat-clad redhead walking towards her. Immediately upon laying eyes on her, Dawn confirmed her identity and shouted out gleefully, "Zoey!"

"In the flesh," the top coordinator replied happily, the two hugging as Dawn dropped her bags to accommodate the gesture.

"What brings you Snowpoint? Visiting me?" Zoey asked jokingly.

Dawn let out a laugh and replied, "I would have if I had known you'd come home. I'm here with a friend who's challenging the gym."

"Oh you're traveling with another gym trainer, huh? Cool," Zoey remarked casually. Then Zoey's eyes lit up, "Wait a sec... I was thinking about you earlier today. Why was it?" Zoey mused to herself as she opened up her pokédex and scrolled into its calendar.

"Oh... maybe because-," Dawn began, but couldn't finish as Zoey's eyes widened.

"That's right! I set a reminder to call your mom's house today because I wanted to wish you a happy birthday! But now I can do it in person!" the redhead excitedly concluded.

Before Dawn could say another word, Zoey pulled her into a second hug and patted her back strongly, "Happy Eighteenth Birthday, Dawn!"

"Wow! Thanks!" Dawn returned the hug once more and then separated herself, "I'm surprised you remembered!"

"Hey, I remember a lot of things about my best rival. Your birthday is one of them. But most of them have to do with contests," Zoey nervously admitted.

"Awww, how sweet," Dawn observed perkily.

"So... why aren't you at home with your mom. That's where you said you'd be this year since you were taking a year off the contest circuit," Zoey inquired.

"Oh! I'm traveling again! An old friend came by and asked me to come with him, and I agreed. He's been really good about letting me get into contests as well. He says I should keep my training up so I don't go soft for next year," Dawn informed her rival.

"Good thinking," Zoey nodded. Her face turned inquisitive and she asked, "So who is this mystery man you're traveling with?"

"Oh! I didn't say?" Dawn questioned herself, somewhat flustered, "It's Ash!"

Zoey's face took on a confused look, "Hmm... didn't you say he was on some sort of journey by himself last you heard."

"Yeah," Dawn confirmed, "He was gone for three years by himself to try and change and perfect his battling style so that he could finally win a conference."

Zoey nodded sagely and commented, "Not a bad idea, I guess. I took some time to watch the highlights from the last battle he had in the finals. He's good, there's no question, but he keeps falling just short," Zoey paused as curiosity passed over her features, "So why'd he ask you to go with him?"

Dawn was reluctant to reveal her answer. She knew Ash had feelings for her at this point, but he was still too shy to admit them. She didn't want to speak for him until he had told her himself. So she went with a more neutral answer, "He got lonely on the road. I think he needs someone to bounce ideas off of so he can finish what he started three years ago."

Zoey, seemingly satisfied, though noting the slight hesitation at the start, accepted the answer and nodded in accordance. The redhead spoke kindly, "Well, he couldn't have picked anyone better. You've got an inventive mind and I'm sure it will be helpful to his quest."

"Oh... thanks," Dawn sweetly gave appreciation to Zoey's compliment.

"No problem," Zoey told Dawn. Suddenly Zoey cringed in realization of something, "Oh! Dang it! I didn't know you would be here and I don't have a gift for you!"

"No need to worry!" Dawn chirped, "You couldn't have possibly known!"

"But still... I," Zoey paused momentarily, "Wait, I have the perfect idea!"

"Huh?"

"Follow me!" Zoey instructed Dawn as the redhead began to run back towards the shopping district.

"Wait!" Dawn shouted, as she grabbed her filled bags and jogged after her red-haired rival. She followed Zoey at a distance, unable to fully catch up to her while lugging the clothes she had purchased earlier. That was, until Zoey stopped in front of a store in a small, nearly hidden street that Dawn had missed earlier. It was a rustic area, with buildings that seemed older than the rest of the city, leading Dawn to believe this might've been where the town originally sprang before expanding into the city that she now walked amidst. When Dawn finally caught up to Zoey, she stood before a modest structure which resembled an old toy shop of sorts that read 'Northern Curios'.

Zoey beckoned Dawn inside and saw a sight she wouldn't soon forget. It was a store of entirely handcrafted wooden artwork and playthings. An old man in the back chiseled away at a block of wood while an equally old woman – who Dawn suspected was his wife – tended to the cash register.

"This was my favourite store as a kid. I would come here almost every day before I left on my journey," Zoey explained as Dawn marveled at all the wonderful pieces of wooden art. They had everything from Pokémon to trains in sizes ranging from figures that could fit in the palm of one's hand to grandfather clock-sized totems. Dawn kept turning about as she tried to take it all in. It was an amazing collection of works that any carpenter would be proud to make in a lifetime.

"Here Dawn, I think this is perfect for you," Zoey jerked Dawn from her wandering haze and pointed her in the direction of a small but beautifully detailed skating Piplup clad in a trailing scarf and miniscule skates. Its flipper-like wings were extended outwards gracefully and one foot was tipping up slightly off the mahogany coloured 'ice' that acted as the carving's base.

"It's beautiful," Dawn breathed.

"It's yours then," Zoey told her softly.

"What?"

"I'm buying it for you, unless you want something else in the store," Zoey informed her friend.

"You don't need to! I-," Dawn protested.

"We're not leaving this store until I get something for you," Zoey sternly shut down the blunette's objections, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You deserve it. And besides... I want to. Shows that I care, right?"

"This is far, far too generous!" Dawn commented, holding the figurine, "It's so intricate, so precious," Dawn turned it over and saw the price tag on the bottom of the base, "And expensive!"

"Money's no object Dawn," Zoey waved away the concept like it was nothing, "And it's perfect for you. Piplup is your first, and signature Pokémon. It was sitting here, waiting for you to find it. I remember seeing this here for years. It's wonderful, but for some absurd reason, it never sold. That's got to mean something."

The idea that something so lovely was meant for her, even through all the chances that it could've ended up in someone else's hands, struck a chord for Dawn. Ever since the whole Team Galactic debacle, when she was chosen by Mesprit, she had always had a spot in her heart for matters of fate and destiny. This whole situation with the Piplup carving seemed to resonate with that idea.

So Dawn relented and allowed Zoey's hand to grip hers, and kindly thanked her, "Thank you, Zoey. It's a beautiful gift."

"Glad I could give it," Zoey returned in a low, soft voice. She pulled Dawn to the cash register and took the figurine. She handed it to the old lady along with the required cash needed to pay for it. Moments later, they emerged from the store with a small parcel. Dawn carried it gingerly, not wanting to harm the precious cargo inside.

"I need to send this home. I don't want it to break while I'm on my journey," Dawn reasoned.

"Good idea. I'm sure they can do that at the Pokémon Center," Zoey acknowledged her plan.

Dawn stopped dead in her tracks and gasped, "OH! I almost forgot! I need to meet Ash! He's waiting for me back at the Pokémon Center!"

"Sounds good," Zoey commented, "Have a great birthday, Dawn! I hope I see you again soon!"

Dawn began to sprint off with her shopping bags and parcel in hand, shouting back at Zoey all the while, "Thanks so much Zoey! This means a lot!"

Zoey smiled as she ran off. As Dawn rounded the corner, Zoey let out a heavy breath, almost as though relieved or disappointed, "Maybe next time."

Dawn was running back to the Pokémon Center with her pink winter jacket billowing behind her and her arms loaded with her purchases when she saw Ash standing on the steps leading to the door with Pikachu on his shoulder. He appeared to be waiting for her, which piqued her curiosity. Ash wore only a light blue spring jacket, and appeared to be comfortable despite the brisk winds that swept through the street. She smiled as she approached and inquired with some puzzlement in her voice, "Hey Ash, why you waiting for me out here? Wouldn't you be warmer in the center?"

Ash shook his head and answered her succinctly, "We're not going back into the center."

Dawn's face twisted oddly, not understanding the vagueness of his answer. She could only ask, "Why?"

Ash chuckled, looked at his watch, and then smiled mischievously, "Oh it's a surprise! Come on!" He grabbed her shopping bags and the parcel and told her to wait as he passed the threshold of the medical facility's doors. He came back out shortly and with great urgency and without Pikachu on his shoulder. He grabbed her arm and told her, "Come on! It's getting late I don't want you to miss it!"

"Miss what?"

"Oh, you'll see!" Ash teased, smiling widely all the while. He led her away from the lights of the city as dusk fell on the mountainous region. Dawn was absolutely perplexed as to his intentions, but she did guess it had something to do with her birthday. Ash was many things, but subtle was not one. He hadn't even mentioned her birthday all day, nor even wished her a happy one. She had begun to fear he'd forgotten entirely, but now her fears were beginning to subside.

A short train ride later, the pair arrived at Lake Acuity. The lake boasted a single island in the middle, and from what she could see, there was a faint light emanating from it. On the shore closest to her was a wooden rowboat. Ash held her hand as he led her into the boat. He took both oars in hand as he began to row it across the serene lake. The sun had completely vanished at this point, leaving only the stars to light their way. There was a new moon that night, so it was darker than usual. But as the ripples from the boat disturbed the waters, it began to shimmer, scattering the light of the millions of stars in a display that almost seemed like sparkles dancing on the water. Dawn, though initially nervous of being on the lake in the dead of night like this, grew more and more enraptured by the sight. It was beautiful, and Ash was giving this to her as her gift.

"Ash... this is wonderful."

"Oh, that's just the start!" Ash whispered excitedly between strokes.

Soon, they arrived at the island near the center of the lake. With the exception of one lone tree, the island was fairly featureless. Small patches of snow remained, but for the most part, grass was now exposed and growing in the arrival of spring. However, it was none of these things that caught Dawn's eye. In the middle of the island burned a small campfire, next to which sat a picnic blanket. The blunette's eyes grew wide at the sight. This was excessively romantic, especially coming from Ash.

"Wow...," she was almost speechless, "I'm... Ash, you did this?"

"Took all day and several trips across, but yeah, I did it!" Ash announced proudly. Normally, she might tease him a bit for that little surge of pride, but tonight, she couldn't. He really deserved the credit.

"This... is the best birthday present I've ever gotten! Thank you!" Dawn almost squealed, jumping onto Ash in an impromptu hug. He almost fell over, but steadied himself and returned the hug. He momentarily lost himself in her scent before remembering he was working to a schedule. He lowered her back to her feet and beckoned her towards the blanket. On it rested a basket and a small pail.

He opened the basket and withdrew several wrapped morsels of food for their meal, and a plate full of cookies for desert. He looked remorseful and explained to her, "I wish I could have gotten some better food for the occasion, but the location doesn't make for an easy place to deliver anything fancy."

Dawn laughed and smiled at Ash in only the way she could, "No need to worry! The gesture more than makes up for it!" she turned her attention to the pail, "And so does this!" she took from the pale filled with ice, a bottle of wine and two glasses. "I can't believe you brought wine!"

Ash chuckled and told her, "Yeah, it's not the greatest stuff, but I think it'll work. Feel free to indulge, I can't be drinking too much if I want to get us back to the other shore."

Dawn giggled again, "Oh, look at you, being so responsible. One glass won't hurt." She popped the cork and poured the red liquid into the two glasses. Ash had already begun to eat when she finished, and he took the glass eagerly. He almost forgot his manners and took a drink before realizing what he 'should' do.

He raised the glass towards her and made his toast, "To you Dawn, the birthday girl. May all your dreams come true for you this year and the years after."

Dawn gasped at the short toast and put a hand to her chest where she felt her heart beating quickly and fiercely within. She felt lighter and she hadn't even had a drink yet. Before raising her glass to meet his she thanked him, "Ash, that's so sweet. Thank you! Thank you for all this!"

They clinked glasses and they both sipped the first bit of their drink. Ash tried to hide his distaste for the stuff, but found it difficult. She saw his reaction and began laughing yet again. True, it was a bit of a strong taste; otherwise, she thought it was ok. Ash himself wasn't a big fan of alcohol, but he set his dislike aside for tonight for Dawn's sake. They went to work on the food, talking to each other for quite a long while, until Ash looked at his watch and realized it was almost time.

"Dawn, you need to look at the sky!"

"Huh?" she responded sluggishly, looking up at the stars, "The stars are beautiful, but I've seen them plenty tonight already!"

"No no! Just keep looking! You'll see it in a minute!" Ash pressed, moving himself to sit next to her as he turned his gaze northward as well. It took longer for it to appear than he thought and grew frustrated. He began to fret, growling out, "Dang it! It was supposed to happen by now!"

"What was?" Dawn amusedly inquired, rubbing Ash's shoulder with her hand.

"The Nurse Joy at the Pokémon Center said that at around this time at night, if you look north you can see-," Ash's explanation was interrupted by Dawn's gasp of wonder. Ash turned his eyes back to the sky and was relieved to see it. The northern lights did their dance across the northern sky, peeking out from beyond the mountains and occasionally stretching almost directly above them.

"Ash... you planned this didn't you?"

Ash rubbed the back of his head in nervousness, "Well... I got lucky and took the opportunity and-," he was interrupted again, not by any sound Dawn made, but by her action. She took his head in her small, soft hands and pulled it to her face. Their lips met and Ash stared momentarily in shock. Their first kiss transformed Dawn's face into a mix of intense passion and comfort. Ash slowly accepted the kiss and closed his eyes. He wasn't accustomed to this, and he clumsily tried to match the movements of his mouth with hers. The kiss wasn't overly deep and it was fairly chaste. But in it, Ash could taste the emotion and power behind it. His hand involuntarily moved to her back and pulled her to him. They sat there in the kiss for longer than he imagined it could last until they finally withdrew.

Ash's mind was a blur. He knew that he had growing feelings for Dawn, but he had only intended this as a very good, very well-deserved birthday present. One they could share together as best friends. Part of his mind was driven mad from fear, but another part of it, one quickly growing and gaining control, told him this was ok. Better than ok. This was right. That there was nothing better.

Dawn's mind was undergoing a similar process. Her mind buzzed out of fear of Ash's reaction, wondering if she went too far, too fast, if it was the right time, if he even liked her in same way she did him. She began to fear that she might've ruined the friendship that they had rebuilt after his absence. Her mind spun wildly out of control from an oncoming panic attack until a single act by Ash sent all those doubts out the window.

He gave her a kiss, their second kiss. He initiated it. She was ecstatic, flying away in joy, leaving her body behind and experiencing true happiness in the way she never thought possible. No contest victory could compare. Not even her imagination could do the moment justice, having envisioned this very scenario dozens of times prior. The kiss ended more quickly than before. Since he had started it, he was nervous and she felt it on his lips. She knew she had to reassure him so that he knew he was doing the right thing.

"Ash," she struggled to speak, still half-way gone from the experience, "that was amazing."

Ash's eyes lit up. He was so relieved. He too, had troubling finding his words, "It was?"

Dawn nodded slowly, her sapphire blue eyes glistening as they looked into his own, comforting brown ones, "I'm sure that was your first, and you need practice..." Ash's head drooped downwards in disappointment, "but..." his eyes looked up again in a glimmer of hope, "I'll give you that practice." She giggled as those last words left her mouth, still unable to believe that she had been able to say something like that to Ash. A heavy blush had overtaken both their faces by this point. She still couldn't believe it. She had shared an experience with Ash that she had never believed the once dense boy would ever be able to reciprocate.

"So... does this mean you like your birthday present?" Ash timidly questioned.

Dawn looked to the sky again, observing the stars and the aurora, and answered thoughtfully, "Everything you did tonight was great. Surprising me by taking me out to the lake, rowing me across the shimmering waves, giving me a picnic on an island, and the northern lights were an especially nice touch!" She turned back to Ash and looked at him with conviction and affection, "But the best gift I was given tonight, was that last kiss."

"Uh, what about the first one?" Ash asked tentatively.

"Well... I sorta gave that one didn't I?" she drawled, winking cheekily at him.

They sat there, side by side, arms wrapped around one another's shoulders as they watched the aurora dance all over the northern sky. After what seemed like hours, Ash looked at Dawn and asked sorrowfully, "So, should I be getting you back to the Pokémon Center?"

Dawn tore her gaze from the sky to look at him and gave him a small, but considerate smile. Her hand lay on the blanket below her and she was struck with an idea. She touched his cheek and answered his question with one word, "No."

"No?"

"No."

"Then where will we sleep?" Ash pressed, confusion overtaking his face.

"No need to worry!" Dawn chirped her trademark phrase, "We'll wrap ourselves in this blanket and sleep right here! We have our coats, the picnic blanket is fairly big, the fire is still going... and we have each other." Her voice grew soft at the last part of her explanation.

"Really?"

"Yes," she reiterated, "After tonight, after all this, I want to fall asleep looking at the stars... the lights... and you."

Ash gulped. They had fallen asleep next to each other as they camped on their travels before, but never had they slept in the same blanket. In fact, as she snuggled up to him and prepared to wrap the blanket around them, he was sure he had never slept this close to anyone in his life.

She saw the apprehension in his face and wrapped her arms around him. She quietly reassured him, in the gentlest, sweetest voice, "It will be fine. It's just me. Nothing will happen."

Ash looked into her eyes, as both of their sets of lids began to grow heavy. Their mutual body heat was soothing and her face just put him at ease. He began to forget his anxiety. She in turn, took both comfort and a strange sense of exhilaration in being so close. They drew closer still, almost to the point that their foreheads touched.

"This is perfect," she sighed into him as sleep began to overtake her.

_No,_ he thought, _she is perfect._ With his last thoughts of her, he drifted off into his own slumber. Though the night grew colder, the fire, their coats, their blanket, and most importantly, their bodies, kept each other warm, and neither of them felt capable of feeling fear in the embrace of one another.


	3. Chapter 3: Comedy Versus Tragedy

**Chapter 3 – Comedy Versus Tragedy**

With their newfound relationship, Ash and Dawn continued their journey through the remainder of Sinnoh. They were quite affectionate for one another, though Dawn was clearly the one who pushed the relationship forward. Ash, though growing more confident, was still quite nervous when it came to showing his feelings; though he made his fair share of gestures towards the petite girl. They thoroughly enjoyed eachother's company, sharing many passionate kisses and holding one another as they fell asleep many a night, though they went no further than that. Even with this new relationship, Ash continued his quest to re-invent himself as a trainer, finishing his round of the gym leaders yet again and challenging many powerful trainers along the way.

As it was, the loving duo came upon the last landmark of Sinnoh. They finally arrived at Lily of the Valley Island. Ash had not planned in competing in any leagues during his journey, as he wanted to fulfill his pledge of rebuilding his battle style completely. However, upon arrival, the tournament was still taking in contenders. Ash, being in the great mood that he was, decided that he should enter. Having traveled through four regions, decided that he needed to test himself to see if he could apply what he learned in a rigorous tournament setting. He also wanted to see if having Dawn at his side would spur him to victory, as it had done so many times before in his youth.

And so he registered, as he felt that he could take on anything that the other trainers could throw at him. Of course he kept such arrogant thoughts well in check, not wanting a repeat of five years ago. As expected by those who recognized the Pallet native, even after five years absence, he breezed through the early stages of the tournament and after two rough fought quarter and semi-final matches he made it, yet again, to the finals.

On the day of the finals, Ash sat in the trainer locker room. He was mentally preparing himself for the battle to come when he was surprised by a visitor. Dawn had somehow managed to sneak there and greeted him gleefully.

"Oh, Ash!" she called in a sing-song voice, sticking her head into the locker room and playfully stretching out the first letter of his name. He looked up unexpectedly. The look of shock passed very quickly and a smile replaced it. She walked it and the look of shock returned once again. She stood before him in a brand new cheerleader uniform. It looked remarkably like the one she wore in her youth, but it obviously was bigger to fit her adult body. Otherwise, it was like staring at a vision of the past. Dawn did a cute little twirl on one foot and lifted a single pom-pom to the air as a flourish and winked at him cheekily. Ash smile grew several sizes and he bounded over to her. She did the same and they hugged tightly.

"You brought it back!" Ash exclaimed.

"This will be just like the old days! I wear this to a gym, and you win! Except today, you'll win much more than a badge!" Dawn trilled excitedly.

"You're so sweet," Ash said quietly, their foreheads coming into contact again. As he did, he caught a whiff of her scent. Intoxicating was the only word to describe it. No other words could measure up. He wanted to kiss her and hold her forever, but this wasn't the time. He had to focus on the match that would ensue in only a few minutes.

"Just remember, I'll be cheering for you! I know you'll do great!" Dawn spoke in a quiet yet encouraging tone.

Ash could feel his mind unraveling, but he kept himself focused. He spoke just as quietly and with much affection, "Dawn, I love that you're doing this for me. And while I certainly love the outfit," he caressed her side as he said that, "I know you're cheering for me, no matter what you wear. I feel that with you at my side, I can do anything. Thank you... so much... Dawn. You mean so much to me."

Her face was the picture of amorous bliss. Ash turned away to pick up his pokéballs when suddenly she grabbed him and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Ash's eyes nearly bulged out of his head at the moment of contact, but as the event progressed, he relaxed into it and returned it, closing his eyes in the process. His hands moved to her slim waist, and her hands gripped the back of his shoulders hungrily. It took all of both of their combined wills not to give in to the sheer carnality that threatened to overtake them then and there on that most important day.

As they both discovered the need to breathe, their lips finally parted. Ash felt like a new man. His will burned like a bonfire that soared into the sky. Dawn felt like a huge weight had fallen from her shoulders and she was fluttering away. She couldn't honestly tell whether or not her feet were planted firmly on the ground.

She sighed blissfully and whispered in his ear before leaving, "I'll always be at your side. So when you win it... you'll win it for _us_! Will you do that?"

Ash's mouth was rapidly drying out, so it took him some effort to reply. But he did, whispering back with all the sincerity and longing of years gone by, "I promise. For us."

Dawn gave him another peck on the lips and let her hand slide gracefully from his as she sauntered towards the doorway. Ash's mind went into a haze momentarily as she slipped quietly out of the locker room. She didn't say what he thought she was going to say. He thought she was going to say 'Win it for me', but she said... us.

"I know now..." he said quietly to himself as he looked on his five pokéballs, and at Pikachu who had quietly observed this happy moment. Pikachu gave him a knowing look, "I am telling her after I win."

Pikachu's cheeks sparked as his face grew determined. The little yellow mouse was just as ready to put their training to the test as his trainer was.

Ash heard the announcement from the PA in the locker room, "Mr. Ketchum. It's time."

"It is time isn't it, buddy!"

Pikachu happily hopped onto Ash's shoulder as he collected his remaining five pokéballs.

"Let's do this, for _us_!"

He clipped the balls to his belt and left the locker room.

As he walked down the final hallway to the entrance of the field, he could only feel a building anticipation. Not of the crowd cheering. Not of the millions watching on television. Not of the potential glory of winning the coming match. Not even of the battle itself. He had long ago conquered those feelings in an effort to steel himself for the calm and collected demeanour that he needed for matches like these. No. He was anticipating, and even glowing at the fact that Dawn would be watching and cheering for him in what would likely be one of the most important battles of his life.

It was all about Dawn.

He was ready. He had to be able to surpass the barrier that had stopped him so many times now.

There was nothing missing.

He stepped out onto the field and was met with a roar. This was his long anticipated comeback after a four years' absence from league tournaments. The crowd loved him. But they also loved his opponent.

The announcer blared over the speakers in the stadium, "Ladies and gentlemen! May I present our finalists! The two trainers who have worked tirelessly to reach this point! On the red side of the field, a long time contender in multiple leagues who has shown time and time again his brilliance on the field of battle. He has been in the finals of both the Indigo League and the Silver Conference and has had many great showings before that! May I present to you, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, Kanto!"

A huge cheer went up and Ash was momentarily deafened. The crowd noise took longer than expected to subside, and then the announcer continued, "And on the green side of the field! Home-grown and ready to try and keep the title of Lily of the Valley Conference Champion firmly in Sinnoh, I give you, Jubilife City's Favourite Son! Hamill 'Grin' Jarrow!"

Another huge cheer, went up, perhaps slightly louder than Ash's, considering he was a Sinnoh native after all. Ash could see the opponent from across the pitch. He was about ten or so years older than Ash. He had short, neatly trimmed black hair, almost verging on green. He had a sharp nose, piercing green eyes, and a pointed jaw-line. He was quite pale, which was contrasted sharply by his ruby lips; and those lips always seemed to be bent upwards in an unsettling smile. His clothes spoke volumes about him. He wore a purple vested jacket and matching slacks. His tie was unusually colourful. Ash wondered if this guy was a clown of some kind in the off-season. Ash walked forward with no hint of trepidation while his opponent approached with an overly confident strut. They met one another in the center of the field and shook hands. The referee read them the rules in the meantime, "This will be a 6 on 6 battle, ending when either party is completely incapacitated. Only two substitutions are permitted by either party, and only after the opponent is forced to use another Pokémon. Once a Pokémon has fainted, the trainer must immediately choose their next. Both trainers will release their first Pokémon simultaneously. Neither trainer is permitted to set foot onto the field while a battle is in progress. There is no time limit."

Both trainers nodded, and Jarrow spoke with a smooth, yet almost mocking voice, "Well, I hope this is a fun battle for you boy. I know this is just gonna be a joke for me!"

"We'll see who's laughing at the end; after that you can go back to whatever clown college you came out of," Ash replied sourly.

Jarrow let out a laugh that sounded half-way to a cackle and turned around to stride in his usual manner back to his own side of the field, shouting along the way, "Don't worry about your sourpuss attitude boy! I'll put a smile on that face!"

Ash tried to shake off the comment. It really didn't make much sense to him, nor was it as funny as the man himself seemed to find it. He simply wrote it off to his opponent trying to get into his head.

"Now spectators, the moment you've all been waiting for! Let the battle begin!" the announcer boomed throughout the stadium.

"Let's start this out strong! I choose you, Garchomp!" Ash swung his arm and released the pokéball. The massive stream of light formed the Mach Pokémon, which let out a terrifying roar. Piplup, fearing for its safety, dove under Dawn's seat. The memories of draco meteor were all too vivid.

At the exact same time, Ash's giggling opponent cried out, "Fun time, Gengar!"

The grinning Shadow Pokémon burst forth, shouting its name in glee. It landed on the field and began laughing a cold and maniacal laugh.

Ash raised an eyebrow before, again, shrugging off the strange behaviour of both the Pokémon and its trainer.

"Begin!" the referee called out.

"Garchomp, sandstorm!" Ash commanded boldly. His dragon responded with a grunt and spun wildly for a few moments before a massive tornado of sands blotted out most of the field. Gengar was clearly displeased with this, shielding its eyes.

"Gengar! Shadow punch!" the trainer coughed out through the storm.

The ghost did as it was told and thrust one of its arms forth. A spectral fist continued on its trajectory, but no sound of impact was heard.

"Huh?" Jarrow gasped in confusion.

A brief move of the earth beneath Gengar shifted him off balance. Had Jarrow seen this through the storm, he would've known what it meant; but he didn't catch it. Garchomp erupted through the through the ground and carried it into the sky. Gengar let out a cry of pain as Jarrow watched in dismay.

"Dragon Rush! Into the ground!" Ash shouted.

"Gaaaarrrr!" the beast roared as it and the ghost were both enveloped in a blue light that spread out like wings of a dragon. Garchomp quickly drove Gengar towards the earth.

"No! Gengar! Confuse Ray!"

The red tinted eyes of the ghoul turned purple momentarily, as did those of Garchomp. Momentary panic gripped the dual ground and dragon type as it flailed and subsequently crashed into the ground, with Gengar only barely escaping the grip before the impact. Garchomp was not done by any means, but it certainly hurt the beast, and it did not serve to end its confusion. The manic dragon let out giant flaming sphere in the sky without a command or warning. The orb's flight path mirrored Garchomp's disoriented state, spiraling through the air before bursting into firework-like display of small projectiles that fell haphazardly back to the earth. The field was coated with small, smoking craters once they impacted. Suffice to say, the poorly executed draco meteor had no effect on the battle. Even though one nearly struck Garchomp and knocked him off balance, the concussive blast only served to antagonize its already frantic movements. It almost seemed as though it were fighting an invisible foe, though no such foe existed save for in its mind.

"Garchomp! Snap out of it!" Ash pleaded, his eyes wide with fear.

Ash's opponent cackled with devilish glee and ordered Gengar, "Pelt it with Shadow Balls! As many as you like!"

Gengar's already freakish smile widened further as it went on to conjure one shadow ball after another, hitting Garchomp with successive explosions of ghostly energy. It seemed how unreal how fast it could create and launch them.

"Garchomp! You need to calm down and get under control! Your opponent is directly ahead of you!" Ash cried, practically begging now.

Garchomp continued to flail around madly, hitting nothing but air. Meanwhile, each shadow ball hit its mark, only further aggravating Garchomp's ailing body. Meanwhile, Jarrow just continued to laugh wildly, almost falling over from the hysterics.

"Just keep doing that, I'll get a soda! Hahahahaha!" Jarrow shouted in amusement.

Jarrow's rude remark gave Ash a brilliant idea.

"Garchomp! Snack! Directly in front of you!"

The dragon immediately stopped thrashing and looked forward. He saw Gengar, but rather he didn't. Instead, he saw a delicacy that only he could imagine. Gengar saw this look and grew nervous, more so when Garchomp licked its lips.

"Eh? What's this?" Jarrow said, paying attention to the battle again. With lightning speed natural to is species, Garchomp did just he used as a Gible. He clamped down on Gengar and tried to eat it.

"What! No! Gengar! Shadow Punch! Shadow Ball! Do whatever you need to get out of there!" Jarrow screeched.

Gengar complied but only mildly, as the pain of a giant, hungry dragon's jaws clamped down on him. Garchomp was still confused, but it knew that it was famished. The ghost delivered two mild shadow punches before it started simply wriggling to try and move from the maw of the beast. Jarrow growled and his seemingly perpetual smile faded, and he grunted, "Destiny Bond!"

Gengar reluctantly complied and a purple light streaked from its eyes into the dragon's. Ash saw this and panicked. He shouted to Garchomp, "No stop! Don't do it! Let him go, Garchomp!"

The dragon, still under the effects of the confuse ray, heard nothing Ash said. It continued to clamp down on his foe until he went unconscious. At exactly the same time, Garchomp did as well, finally releasing the limp ghost.

"Both Garchomp and Gengar are unable to battle. Both trainers must choose their next Pokémon!" the referee announced the first verdict of the match.

Ash cursed himself for not seeing something like this coming. He returned Garchomp to his capsule and complimented him on a good fight, saying, "You did well. This was my fault."

His opponent, meanwhile, was none too pleased with his battler. He gave it a quick insult and a frown, before returning to his creepy smile.

From the stands, Dawn sat there in worry. This was not a good start to the match for Ash. She had seen Garchomp in action many times in the short few months they had travelled together since departing Twinleaf town, and knew full well that this was one of Ash's most powerful companions. She watched Ash carefully, trying to read his actions to gauge his demeanour. She couldn't see his face, so it was difficult, but he seemed steady from what she could tell. She got up and yelled through the droning roar of the audience, "Don't let this get you down Ash! You're still even!" Piplup, who stood on the barrier in front of her, continued to jump and squawk loudly in his support for Ash's team after having deemed it safe to emerge from his hideaway.

On the field, both trainers released their next pokéballs at the same time, revealing the next two duelists. On Ash's side, was the floating ice Pokémon, Glalie. Before him was one that Ash was not too happy to have to fight. Darmanitan.

The rotund fire Pokémon, just like its predecessor, grinned widely at his opponent, just as gleeful as its master for the chance to do battle. Glalie, returned the grin, glad for a challenge like the one before him.

"Battle begin!" the referee shouted, raising both flags he held.

This time, Jarrow made the first move, "Darmanitan! Fire punch!"

With speed that belied its size, Darmanitan lunged forward to deliver a fist that now blazed with deep red flames.

Ash reacted quickly, "Dodge, Glalie, then use ice beam!"

The floating ice type rose a few feet into the air whilst the red blur that was his foe swept beneath him. The red Pokémon twisted its body in surprise only to see a white beam of energy make contact with its face. Its front was momentarily covered in a sheet of ice, only for the ill-tempered fire type to smash out of it in a rampage. Ash knew the attack did little to harm his opponent's Pokémon due to type advantage, but he still had a trick up his sleeve.

His opponent took action again after he saw his fighter break free, giving a new command, "Don't just sit there! Fire punch again!"

"Dar!" the Blazing Pokémon roared in frustration. It jumped up towards Glalie, once again demonstrating its great speed and power, fist wreathed in flames all the while.

"Descend now and use that force to create an earthquake for when it lands!" Ash yelled.

Glalie responded eagerly, quickly dropping out of the arc that Darmanitan created as it soared through the air. Just as Darmanitan hit the ground, Glalie did as well, sending an earth shaking quake throughout the stadium. Darmanitan stumbled and lost its footing, clearly struggling against the ground type move. For the first time, Darmanitan's mocking smile faded. Glalie could only chant his name in glee as the super-effective move wrought havoc on its opponent. As the quake subsided, he gave a second command, "Ice Beam all around him!"

Glalie gave Ash a knowing look and proceeded to make an icy pillar all around Darmanitan. Still reeling from the quake, Darmanitan looked upwards in confusion as he saw his new prison forming.

Jarrow panicked again as he saw this, his smile fading just as his own combatant's had. He screeched out in his high voice, "Melt it quickly with overheat!"

Ash knew his plan would fall apart if he didn't act fast. It wouldn't have as great an effect as it would have, but it was better than the alternative. "Stop ice beam! Earthquake again! Before it gets out!"

Glalie responded to the urgent command and slammed back down into the earth once again, causing it to tremor once more.

"Shoot it upwards! Now!" Jarrow hollered at his Pokémon, now clearly dismayed. Darmanitan, using whatever will it could to remain steady, began to glow white hot, and seconds later it shot a beam of yellow flame so intense, that the now falling shards of its prison were instantly boiled, creating nothing but a shower of steam around the fire type. Through the new mist, neither Ash nor Glalie could see anything.

Just then, a clearly angry Darmanitan, with not so much as a word from its trainer, burst forth from the opaque fog and streaked towards Glalie, its left arm glowing with power.

_Hammer arm!_ Ash noted mentally. It was already too close to dodge. "Double team!"

Glalie split into four copies of itself, all surrounding the rampaging fire type. Darmanitan looked confused and awaited instructions from its trainer.

"Who cares how many there are?! Blast them all! Overheat straight into the ground!" Jarrow shrieked, stamping onto the ground himself.

Darmanitan, with surprisingly little hesitation, quickly summoned up his remaining strength and sent an explosive force of flame into the ground around him. The fire ripped through the ground, permeating it with geysers of flame. Ash could only watch as the fires quickly spread towards the multiple Glalies.

"Protect!" Ash instinctively ordered.

The Glalies all merged into one again, and the true ice type surrounded itself with a glowing, green shield. The eruption hit it, and Glalie showed some strain, but nothing compared to what could have been.

The fires dissipated, and a smile returned to the strange trainer's face. He uttered one word, though it resounded painfully for both Ash and Glalie, "Encore!"

Darmanitan brought its long arms together give Glalie an round of applause. However, Glalie seemed entranced by the simple act. Laughing madly, Jarrow mirrored the actions of his Pokémon, clapping and dancing in a circle. Glalie looked about in confusion, seemingly unaware of what had just taken place. Ash knew now, this match had just become much harder. Jarrow stopped his jaunt momentarily and taunted Ash from across the field, "Let's see how you win this battle only using protect!"

Ash growled as he saw Darmanitan move again, only slightly slower than before, with a fiery fist raised.

_Wait, it used hammer arm, it's slower now._

"Dodge it!"

Glalie obeyed its trainer, as it dodged the attack with more breathing room than before.

"Hey no fair!" Jarrow pouted, "Keep throwing those punches until you hit!"

"Darmanitan, while slower, was still quite agile. Every failed punch got closer and closer to its mark. At last, Ash Glalie slumped downwards in exhaustion as its opponent moved in for the knockout.

"No choice then! Glalie! Protect!" Ash instructed reluctantly.

"Once again, a shimmering sphere of green engulfed the floating ice type. It was visibly darker than before, indicating its lower tolerance. However, it managed to hold out, if only barely.

"Don't let up! More! More! More! Show him how fast you can hit!" Jarrow cheered from his end of the field, still letting out small little giggles at every turn.

Glalie, tired now from both dodging and holding up the protect barrier, could barely move. He was left with one option. He used protect again. The barrage of blows on the now thin and dimming barrier was now actively bending it. Several punches later, the barrier finally shattered, and a second punch thereafter send Glalie flying backwards in great pain.

"Glalie!" Ash cried out with great concern.

Though engulfed in flames, wincing every few seconds, Ash's fierce contender managed to hoist himself back into the air. Ash was glad to see he was still conscious, but was far less happy to see it suffering so. Suddenly, he saw a flash of green in Glalie's eyes. He knew what that meant.

"Encore over! Glalie, facade!"

The laughing man at the opposite end of the field suddenly stopped doing so as his eyes widened in shock. He saw Glalie glow red momentarily and saw what was coming. "Hurry! Zen form!"

Darmanitan quickly curled up as Glalie launched himself at the fire type almost faster than the eye could track. Just as Glalie was about to make contact, zen form took hold, and Darmanitan's body turned to stone. Glalie still hit it with all his might and the statue-like foe slid backwards a short distance and fell over with a dull thud. Ash winced. That wouldn't have dealt nearly as much damage as it could have. That was it for Glalie too, who dejectedly slumped to the ground in exhaustion, his eyes closing and lapsing into unconsciousness. Darmanitan retook its normal form and cheered in victory.

"Glalie is unable to continue. The winner of this battle is Darmanitan!"

Ash slumped as he raised his pokéball and recalled Glalie. "You did amazing out there, considering the disadvantage. Your efforts won't be wasted. Thank you," Ash quietly complimented his faithful Pokémon.

In the stands, Dawn had been cheering loudly for Glalie, but had grown quiet as the battle turned against him. She now sat deathly still, both proud and concerned for Ash's dedicated, if not playful, ice type. She continued to watch the man of her dreams have a rough time on the field below and her heart went out to him. But she was confident he would recover. She knew he would. To her, Ash was so strong, so dedicated, and so loving to his family of Pokémon that she knew there was no way he could lose this time. Moreover, she knew that he was not only fighting for himself and his team, but for her as well. Her heart fluttered at the thought.

_ There's no need to worry! Ash will come back from this! He's strong and determined! And I'll be there to help him all the way!_ Dawn chanted in her mind, shrugging away the look of worry and replacing it with one of confidence.

Ash's thoughts momentarily flickered towards Dawn at that moment, but then he refocused on the task at hand. He took out his next pokéball and released it before the referee could prompt him to do so. The light from the ball materialized into tall, vicious, red and black Pokémon. He wore a pair of black sunglasses on his snout, and made he held himself in a rather cool posture.

"Krookodile!" he bellowed at the now panting Darmanitan. Regardless of its state, the fire type continued to smile, relishing what it thought to be its next victory. Jarrow, however, had other plans.

"You've done your job, get out of there!" Jarrow spat harshly, recalling his fighter and unleashing another in turn. The next Pokémon to materialize was one he was surprised to see. A large, fit, toad-like creature sat before Krookodile. A toxicroak. Ash knew this would be strange battle; both dual-types had one type up on the other. However, he knew it would come down to more than just types. Glalie had already proven that.

Ash decided to take the lead in this battle, hoping to end it quickly.

"Earthquake!" Krookodile, as smooth as could be, merely lifted one foot, and stamped it into the ground as though it were no effort.

"Foolish boy, don't you know that toads can hop! Jump, Toxicroak!" Jarrow mocked from afar. Toxicroak did exactly as ordered and jumped much higher than Ash anticipated. The only other Pokémon he had seen jump that high was Harrison's Blaziken all those years ago.

The earthquake grew to a halt and Toxicroak landed, its powerful legs absorbing the impact flawlessly. It looked at Krookadile with its tell-tale grin and puffed it poison sac in a sort of gruff, unimpressed manner.

"Now poison jab!" Jarrow commanded in his strangely pitched voice. Toxicroak's fingers on its right paw began to glow an eerie purple as it dashed towards its foe.

Ash's mouth curled to a smile. He said two words, "Grass knot."

Immediately, the crocodilian stamped his foot on the ground again, this time more softly. Vines shot from the ground, wrapping their tendrils around the feet of the dashing amphibian. Its eyes bulged as it realized its predicament, and it fell face-first into the field.

Ash said to Krookodile in a knowing tone, "You know how this ends."

Krookodile nodded and stamped his foot harder again, creating yet another earthquake.

"Nothing can hold my little froggy down!" Jarrow cackled, "Poison jab your way out of those vines and jump again!"

Using both paws this time, it simultaneously cut the vines on both legs and pounced just as the tremors reached it. It didn't jump nearly as high this time for lack of time for preparation. That's where Ash saw his opening.

"Aerial ace!" he yelled, pointing to the target in the sky.

"Krook!" the ground-dark type grunted, just before he lifted off into the sky with startling speed.

Jarrow's jaw fell open and his battler's eyes bulged again as it saw the approaching jaws of its opponent. Krookodile slammed into his foe, sending them both careening downwards together.

"Don't let a little fall keep you from having fun! Revenge!" the grinning man called out.

The eyes of the toad came into focus as it saw the falling reptile beside it. The toad began to glow red momentarily, then it unleashed a furious punch with its right paw, completely putting Krookodile off balance and messing up his landing.

Both of them crashed into the earth, leaving a small cloud of dust to obscure them momentarily. It cleared and the sunglasses-clad combatant rose from the ground while his opponent did not.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He was annoyed that the opposing finalist managed to get a full-powered revenge in before the end of the fight, but he still managed to win the round, thankfully. Krookodile, while still composed, looked a bit less collected and was breathing more heavily. The fighting move had been quite effective against him.

"Toxicroak is unable to battle! The winner is Krookodile!"

Dawn began jumping around, waving her pom-poms in jubilance after she heard the results. She knew Ash would come back around, and she knew that this was the round to signal Ash's resurgence in the match. She watched him with adoration as she called out his name. Through the rest of the crowd's cheers, he could hear her, if only barely. Her encouragement only served to widen the smile on his face.

Jarrow on the other hand was fuming. He returned his unconscious Toxicroak, and then angrily cursed, following it up with, "Who uses a frog to fight anyway! Should have you served up for supper!" He chuckled at his own dark joke and flipped another ball out onto the field. This time another ghost Pokémon appeared: Banette.

Ash was sensing an ongoing theme here. All these Pokémon served to only creep him out with their insane smiles. This one was the worst of the bunch so far. Not only was its smile yellowed and far too wide, it wasn't even a real smile. The thing had a zipper for a mouth. Pushing those thoughts from his mind, he decided, that while tired, the type advantage that Krookodile had was enough, and he elected to keep him on the field. The referee raised his flags once again and called for the battle to continue.

Ash knew he had to end the battle fast so that he might be able to withdraw Krookodile for some much needed rest. He decided to act quickly knowing that most Banettes typically had little stamina, "Aerial ace into crunch!" Krookodile quickly took the sky again, leaping much higher than most though the reptile could.

He descended on his foe until Jarrow called out his first move, "Ready for you your close-up, croc old-boy? Lights on! Flash, Banette!"

Even with his stylish shades, Krookodile was blinded by the sudden burst of light. Ash too, had to avert his gaze, which left him seeing spots. Krookodile had it far worse though, as in his blinded panic, he crashed straight into the field before the smug ghost type.

"Will-o-wisp!" Jarrow gleefully called to his Marionette Pokémon. It obeyed and surrounded itself with several small balls of blue fire which spun around it momentarily before they all streaked towards the hapless target.

"Move out of the way! Quickly!" Ash yelled desperately. It was no good. Completely disoriented, Krookodile heeded his trainer's warning, but chose the wrong direction, instead running towards Banette. The balls of fire screeched forward, and before Unovian Pokémon realized his horrible mistake, the searing orbs pelted the poor black and red creature. After the impacts, Krookodile struggled to get back on its feet. The world was still a haze around him, but his vision was slowly returning.

"Everything burns!" Jarrow commented darkly, his sly grin never leaving his face.

Ash winced as he saw the scorch marks adorning his friend. He mentally berated himself for not providing Krookodile with a direction. It was his job to aid his Pokémon in their time of need by giving them commands to overcome otherwise insurmountable odds. But he had failed, and now the disheveled reptile was paying for it.

Jarrow cackled again and screamed out joyfully, "Let's put this one to bed with a hex shall we!"

Purple rays emanated from Banette, causing Krookodile to writhe in pain. Even though ghost attacks were not terribly effective on dark types, the increased damage from the already present burn along with all the abuse taken from Toxicroak pushed Krookadile to his limit. Krookodile fainted right then and there. Jarrow was laughing so hard, thinking that it was the comic event of the year.

"Krookadile is unable to battle! Banette is the winner!"

Dawn was utterly shocked. Ash hadn't landed a single move on his opponent in that bout, and even she could see the disappointment on Ash's face in the short glimpse she got of it. She couldn't believe that Ash's comeback had been so quickly halted. Worse yet, the Banette and his trainer barely broke a sweat over it. "Please, please Ash. Don't lose heart now! You can do this. I believe in you! You always manage to come through somehow!" she pleaded quietly towards the field.

Ash mentally scolded himself again. He had decided that with type advantage, he could go straight for the knockout, but hadn't considered the consequences. It had cost him the round and had forced his companion to endure a rather painful end to his appearance in the finals. As he contemplated his next move, he glanced to the audience behind him. He saw Dawn, leaning forward in her seat, concern obvious on her face. When her and his eyes met, a small, indescribable spark occurred. Even through all the noise, even through the distance that separated them, they connected. A small smile appeared on both their faces, and they nodded to one another in affirmation. The battle was not yet lost, and Dawn believed in him. He couldn't stop now. He wouldn't.

"Ash Ketchum! You must choose your next Pokémon!" the referee reminded him, snapping the trainer's attention back to the field.

"Oh what's the matter lil' boy? Too scared to finish what you started?" Jarrow taunted from his end of the field.

Ash let out a small chuckle, "Not on your life. Sceptile, let's show 'em!"

The Forest Pokémon materialized onto the field, cried out his name, overpowering even the crowd's roar. Then, as always, he took his signature twig and placed it deftly between his lips at the right corner of his mouth. The lizard's almost taunting glare and relaxed composure seemed to perplex the normally jolly Jarrow, if only momentarily.

"No problem! We'll trim this hedge of an opponent!" Jarrow commented slyly, "Banette, will-o-wisp!"

"Dodge and come in for a leaf blade!" Sceptile, being one of Ash's fastest Pokémon, easily complied and closed the gap between them in speed that made caused a look of sheer terror to appear on the ghost type's face and caused the Jarrow's jaw to drop in momentary awe. The leaf blade struck true and Banette tumbled backwards onto the ground clumsily.

"No no no no no!" Jarrow stamped his foot into the ground angrily, "Get up and use curse, fool!"

Banette winced at the command, but sure enough, it raised itself from the ground and began to glow an eerie red before an ethereal pin appeared in mid-air in front of the disheveled ghost-type. The pin quickly entered the ghost type's body, vanishing and clearly causing it more pain. At the same time, a red glow overtook Sceptile, causing him to bellow in both rage and pain.

"No! Sceptile!" Ash cried out in fear.

Sceptile shook the pain off and barked his name back to Ash, confirming his ability to continue the battle. Banette's once prominent grin was now displaced by an equally creepy scowl that denoted its obvious pain and anger towards its foe.

"I need to end this quick before curse takes too high a toll on Sceptile! Go for another leaf blade!" Ash commanded.

Sceptile leapt forward, but this time, Banette was ready for the lizard's speed. Its eyes began to glow a brilliant white as he approached. Ash knew what was happening this time, and he called out, "Sceptile, it's flash! Cover your eyes!" As the brilliant light intensified, Sceptile did just that. The lizard ceased his advance and used the leaves on his arms as an effective curtain against the light. When the white-out faded, Sceptile removed the cover to find Banette gone.

"Behind you!" Ash called.

At the same time, Jarrow called out his own move, "Will-o-wisp again!" The ghost, while on its last legs, still conjured the flames rapidly and sent them to its foe that had only just become aware of the direction.

Ash knew that his battler was caught flat-footed, so he called out the only move he could think of to counter it, "Sword's Dance!"

Sceptile crossed his arms, his arm-bound leaves expanding to their bladed forms, and he began to spin rapidly. Just like Bugsy had once done years ago with his Scyther against Ash in their gym battle, the flames were repelled by Sceptile. Only this time, the flames bounced harmlessly off his spinning form and began to orbit the rotating grass type. Banette was still controlling them. The ghost tried to have them hit the impenetrable spinning barrier time and time again, but to no avail.

Ash knew. however, that Sceptile would tire and stop soon. He had to find a way to repel the flames. Then, it all clicked in his mind. A brilliant idea formed.

"Sceptile, use the spin to conjure a leaf storm, and send it right back at Banette!"

Sure enough, a tornado of leaves formed around Sceptile as he spun, even more powerful than his usual form due to the force of the sword's dance spin. Better yet, the leaves of the storm caught on fire as the storm force carried the balls of flame back towards Banette. The battered ghost type could do nothing but watch in a mix of terror and fascination as a whirlwind of flaming foliage careened towards it. The ghost was quickly engulfed. When the storm ceased, no one was surprised to find the ghost type on the ground unconscious.

"Banette is unable to continue! Sceptile wins this round!" the referee called out, trying to mask his own amazement.

"Great job Sceptile! I knew you could do it!" Ash shouted happily from his end of the field. Sceptile nodded in cool affirmation, as though there were no doubt. However, his visage of calmness was shattered moments later when a red glow overtook him and caused him to drop to the ground on one knee in pain.

"Sceptile! What?" then it clicked in Ash's head again, "The curse..."

A grim laugh carried its way over the field. Jarrow, despite having lost the powerful ghost type, was still pleased at the end result. He taunted him further, "Don't worry about your walking shrub, kid! I'll end his suffering sooner rather than later! Go Darmanitan!"

The fire type re-entered the field. It still bore the bruises of its previous battle with Glalie, but seemed like it had some renewed energy from its rest. The referee held up his flags and shouted to the contenders, "Let the battle continue!"

With obvious confidence in his fire-type, Jarrow smiled widely, and commanded, "This will be easy! Burn that bipedal bush to a crisp! Overheat!"

The beam of fire streaked across the field immediately, though it was still far less powerful than its previous incarnations. Ash smirked and called out once more, "Sword's Dance again!" Sceptile mimicked his last move once again, spinning, deflecting the fire attack, and increasing its own attack power in the process.

"Knew that was coming! Now push it off-balance with a fire punch!" Jarrow cackled, as his fire type dashed across the field, raising its fiery fist in anticipation.

"You know what to do!" Ash called to his battler. Sceptile called out his name as he continued to spin in place, not moving an inch. The punch connected, to everyone's surprise, having expected something to happen to counter the attack; but no such event occurred.

The punch hung in the air against the grass-type, but Sceptile continued to spin as though nothing had happened. Jarrow let out a dull 'huh' of confusion and Darmanitan grunted in the same manner. Moments later, the Sceptile before them disappeared in a shimmering white light, and the crowd collectively gasped.

"A substitute? No look out!" Jarrow cried out in shock. But it was too late. Sceptile seemingly dropped out of the sky from nowhere and connected with a devastating leaf-blade to the top of Darmanitan's head. Sceptile smoothly flipped away, crouching on the ground before raising himself back to his full height. Not even looking at the opponent he knew he had felled. Just as Sceptile knew it would, Darmanitan toppled over, its combined damage from both Glalie and the now devastatingly powerful grass-type move becoming too much for the fire-type to bear.

"Darmanitan is unable to battle! The winner of this round is Sceptile!"

Jarrow cursed and returned what he had thought to be the superior half of the match-up. His smile faded, but then returned moments later. Sceptile was on the ground again, the red glow returning and causing it much pain. Ash's opponent let out a small, if somewhat evil sounding laugh, and let out another taunt, "Poor little lizard can't cope with the curse much longer can he! I know I promised that his time on the field would be short lived... but I've never been a man of my word. The idea that it might have to feel the pain of the curse is just all too appealing!" He said this part especially gleefully. Ash just looked on at the man in disgust.

He pulled out his fifth pokéball and flung it forth. A large, staunch, bulky creature materialized before them. An Electivire. Memories flooded back for Ash; he had a long and storied history facing this particular species of Pokémon. Its beady red eyes and tooth-filled grin seemed to goad Ash from across the field.

_Sceptile is the only Pokémon I have left that could deal with an electric type... but the curse is taking its toll, and if it's anything like that Banette, it could easily overcome the type resistance,_ Ash thought to himself. Sceptile, now recovered from his latest bout with the curse, turned to Ash and seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

"Scep!" he called out Ash. He looked at his loyal companion and the lizard stared back. He saw the determination and willingness that the grass-type possessed, and knew that he couldn't withdraw him. Not now.

"Alright Sceptile, let's keep this up!" Ash shouted in encouragement, and the Forest Pokémon looked back to his grinning opponent. Sceptile returned that smile with one of his own, switching the twig in his mouth from one corner to the other. He knew this was going to be a good battle.

"Continue the match!" the referee called again.

"No mistakes this time! Electivire, go show that laughable lizard that it's not easy being green! Thunderpunch!" Jarrow cowed severely at his battler. The yellow electric type responded eagerly and leapt across the field, readying its crackling fist.

"Dodge to the side and come in with a leaf blade!" Ash ordered. Sceptile executed his order flawlessly, and gracefully stepped aside as the lightning-clad fist hammered into the ground where he once stood. The leaf on his arm grew once again, and proceeded to deliver a devastatingly quick slash to the left side of his opponent. Electivire staggered back, nursing both the fist that pounded the hard dirt field, and the arm received part of the blow from the sword's dance-enhanced leaf blade.

Jarrow had enough of these antics clearly, "Stop fooling around with the field and start fooling around with greenie! Grab him!" Electivire lunged forward. Naturally Sceptile would dodge this, Ash knew that he didn't have to call it out, as they both knew the kind of situation this would lead to. But unfortunately, Sceptile did not move. By great misfortune, the curse began to take hold once again, causing Sceptile to cry out in pain and rooting him to the spot. Electivire seized the opportunity and used both his hands to grab both of Sceptile's arms, effectively forbidding the use of leaf blade.

"Sceptile no!" Ash yelled in horror, flashbacks of his battles with Paul running rampant in his mind.

"Give him a good buzz! Shake!" Jarrow commanded, mimicking a handshake with his own hand. Lightning crackled from Electivire's clenched fists. The sparks soon turned into a torrent of electricity that travelled into the lizard, causing him even more pain on top of the curse already plaguing it. All the while, an expression of devious pleasure spread across Electivire's face as it proceeded to shake Sceptile's hands as though they were acquaintances. Ash could only stand and watch as the current of electricity flowed from his mocking foe into his own contender. He had to figure a way out of this.

_ That's it!_ Ash's mind clicked yet again as another idea formed.

"If he's gonna shake! We're gonna spin!" Ash called out in with renewed vigour. Sceptile's eyes, having closed in pain, shot open, and glinted with mischievousness. The leaves on his arms grew into blades once again, and even through the pain, Sceptile began to perform another sword's dance. With the death grip Electivire had on the grass-type, it was soon spinning too, like a dance partner caught up in something that it didn't want to be a part of. Quickly, the electric-type's grin turned to a scowl of both annoyance and dizziness.

"Keep going until it lets go!" Ash cried out.

"We won't let go! You're going to stop!" Jarrow yelled out gleefully, "Flamethrower!"

Ash's heart dropped as he realized exactly what was going to happen next. He went to warn Sceptile to do anything to get rid of Electivire, but it was too late. The electric-type's already red eyes glowed even more brightly red as it opened its toothy mouth to deliver a searing stream of flame directly into Sceptile's face. The spinning slowly died down, and both battlers fell over onto the field. Electivire got up, though it staggered around, clearly attempting to get its bearings in its dizzy state. Sceptile however, had taken a major beating, and was laying on unconscious on the ground, his twig nearly ready to fall out of his mouth.

"Sceptile is unable to continue, Electivire wins this round."

Ash lowered his head as he returned Sceptile. He looked at the pokéball and a small smile crossed his face, "You did great, you evened up the field for me. You can't imagine how proud I am of you, or how much I appreciate it." He slipped the ball back onto his belt and looked towards his opponent. Electivire, though still somewhat dizzy, was quickly regaining its composure, and had only minor abrasions due to Sceptile's one clean, powerful hit.

_I can't use Pikachu yet. Not against him, not unless it's the only option. Because of Motor Drive, Electivire can use electric attacks to become faster, and it's already dangerous enough._ Ash looked down to his partner Pokémon and Pikachu looked up at him questioningly. Ash gave him a small smile and said to him, "Not just yet buddy, I know you want a crack at Electivire, but there's too much riding on this match to settle a grudge. I need to play it smart." _Even if using him against an electric type isn't terribly smart...it's the best option I have._

"I choose you, Charizard!"

A massive cheer went up through the stadium. Even after years of absence, many people remembered this draconian terror. While Ash would never admit it, not wanting to hurt the feelings of his other Pokémon, he knew that Charizard had carried him to many a victory. Ash hoped he would do the same here. Clearly, the crowd was ecstatic to see what most considered Ash's most powerful Pokémon.

"Oh ho ho ho my... finally... I've been waiting for this one," Jarrow said, an unnatural sense of calm coming over him. In a way, this put Ash off even more than his silly, giggling antics.

"Well you wanted him, you've got him! Charizard," the massive, orange, winged lizard turned its head upon being addressed, "this is it. This is where we finally make our mark." Charizard acknowledged this sentiment with a healthy roar in the air, followed by a snort of flame, after which he turned his gaze to the Electivire, whose grin while still present, was less pronounced, being clearly nervous about facing down the behemoth that stood before it.

"Continue the battle!" the referee called, himself clearly intimidated by Charizard. Even he had heard of the destruction this particular Pokémon could wreak upon the battlefield, and he was clearly nervous to be so close.

"Flamethrower!"

"Rain Dance!"

They called out each move at exactly the same time. Electivire let out a howl of its own name towards the sky, which darkened almost instantly. Clouds appeared and sheets of rain began falling. As the sky grew darker, Charizard let out a roar of his own and sent a jet of flame across the field. The rain had begun to fall as it reached Electivire. The flames hit their mark, but the rain had already begun to douse them, and as a result, it had only half the effect it should have. Now bearing a few scattered scorch marks, Electivire looked more angry than hurt. Charizard on the other hand, was now being drenched in the deluge, and he wasn't pleased at all.

Jarrow unveiled a purple umbrella, opened it, and began doing a mocking jig underneath it, singing, "I'm singing in the rain! I'm singing in the rain!"

Both Ash and Charizard gaped at this strange and outlandish behaviour. Jarrow saw their expressions and stop with a small laugh, "Oh sorry, am I supposed to be beating you now..." he let out a sigh, "If you insist then! Give him a good jolt! Thunder!" As he gave this order, Jarrow stretched his arms open wide in a grand gesture.

"Vire!" the smile of the electric-type grew twice its usual size and it began to glow brightly as lightning began to spark across its entire body. It was unleashed in a grand display, arcs shooting for its arms and twin antennae, bouncing from raindrop to raindrop, enveloping the entire field.

Ash was about to give the order to dodge, but the bolts found Charizard all too quickly and proceeded to ravage the fire-flying type relentlessly. Charizard let out a roar of displeasure as his eyes snapped back open after initially closing during the impact. Even while lit by the brilliant light of the thunder attack which persisted longer than any thought possible, Charizard bore the pain as he flew forward, claws glowing ominously. The dragon claw attack struck true and Electivire was knocked backwards towards its trainer. Jarrow was dumbstruck. He knew Charizard was powerful, but even he underestimated his capabilities here today.

"Gah! This damned beast will go down here and now! Another thunder, every ounce of energy you have! DO IT!" Jarrow screeched in displeasure.

"Hurry Charizard, take it to the sky!" Ash commanded desperately.

Even as Electivire attempted to stand up, it found itself being lifted off the ground. Charizard picked up the ailing electric type and was flying high into the sky. Ash was worried. He knew that this could lead to a very devastating shock for the fire type, but at this point, he knew it was pointless to call it off. It was a bold move, but he knew Charizard could handle it. They were already far above the stadium, and he knew exactly what the fire type had planned.

Just as Ash predicted, Electivire let off another brilliantly lit thunder attack. Both of their wails could be heard against the pounding rain, but neither of them fell.

"Use Dragon Claw to keep it from doing that again!" Ash shouted at the top of his lungs, hoping his loyal draconic lizard could hear him from that high.

He could see Charizard beginning his telltale loops in the air as he saw another small flash. He could only assume it was the dragon claw he ordered in an effort to keep Electivire from resisting.

After a few more loops were made, Ash made the call.

"SEISMIC TOSS!"

Soon, the two came plummeting back down to earth in the only way Charizard could manage.

"No! Stop him fool! Thunder! Thunderpunch! Flamethrower! Something!" Jarrow cried desperately.

Electivire was too dizzy from the loops and the dragon claw to heed any commands. Charizard let the electric-type hit the ground while the orange beast himself pulled up in time to avoid the same fate. The impact of Electivire landing let out a huge wave of dust straight up into the air and resounding crash. Ash's powerful behemoth landed on the ground with a small thud, while the cloud of dust surrounding Electivire dissipated. No one was surprised by the referee's next call.

"Electivire is unable to battle, Charizard is the winner!"

Charizard, true to his own fashion, let out a huge flamethrower straight into the sky, which was slowly beginning to clear up from the rain dance. It was almost impossible to notice the little sparks of electricity that arced on Charizard's arms as he did so.

"You never fail to impress me Charizard!" Ash complimented the draconian Pokémon standing before him.

Jarrow's scowl was working overtime as he withdrew the crumpled Electivire into its ball. But as he put his hand onto his last pokéball, the scowl turned into a small smile. That smile widened into a sadistic grin, and then into a toothy, terrifying grimace. As he expanded the ball to its proper size, he began a slow, low laugh. It grew as he held it there, going from chuckle to a hearty laugh into a full on cackle. He looked like he was going to fall over from the sheer hilarity of whatever it was that was so funny to him. Neither Ash, nor anyone else could deduce what it was that was causing him to laugh so hard. Even Dawn, in the stands, was utterly perplexed at his actions, and wore a matching expression.

"What's so funny? Seems like you've lost it. Both your mind and the match." Ash questioned as the man who was in stitches over this perceived humorous situation continued to let out high pitched laughs that reverberated throughout the stadium. The crowd was transfixed, awaiting a reply, or an explanation for the latest outburst from this colourful finalist.

Between laughs, Jarrow began to explain, "Oh it's... just that you... you think you've," more laughs kept him from finishing his sentence immediately, "you think you've won! You think you have... have your ace on the field and," the laughing began to die down somewhat, "and your little buddy as backup! Oh how wrong you are... Though you are half right... I've lost it. Then again... I never had it," his laughter all but ceased and he grew deadly serious, "But the match... well that's most certainly still mine."

Ash looked at the man as though he was the weirdest thing he had ever seen, and with what Ash had seen, that was saying something. Jarrow continued, his tone growing sinister, "I'm honestly insulted... that my hour of glory, comes down to sweeping aside a mewling wimp of a trainer! You are nothing, a mere speck of dirt on my road to greatness! A sad little boy on a sad little quest... burdened with the idea that he can become great when he clearly cannot. A witless child with an idle dream of climbing the rungs of a decrepit ladder to the elusive rank of master! No! The road to mastery is reserved for me and me alone! You are just another mote of dust that passes beneath my shoes!"

And just as quickly as it came his contemptuous scowl was replaced by his normal, if unnatural, giddy smile. His voice reflected his new mood, "And to show you exactly how futile your efforts are, I'd like you to meet my oldest friend. He and I never used to get along. But, in the end, I got old dreary and dark, here, to see the happier side of life. And now, he'll help me show you too!" He let out another low, almost menacing laugh, "Come on out, Bats!"

From the pokéball sprang a medium-sized, purple, four-winged creature. Unlike all its predecessors, it wore not a smile, but a scowl typical to his species. Ash could not believe that this was Jarrow's final Pokémon. A Crobat hovered in the middle of the field, flapping his wings expectantly.

"Aww come on now bats! This is gonna be fun! Turn that frown upside down!" Jarrow said jokingly to the new arrival. As if on cue, the scowl twitched and turned into a devious smile that made the unexpected Pokémon all the more unnerving. Charizard eyed it with a mix of disdain and curiosity, and snorted out a puff of smoke.

"Charizard, I want you to get some rest, that Electivire was tough. Pikachu is still fresh and has the advantage," Ash explained to his fiery friend. Charizard roared in disapproval, but did not attempt to disobey as Ash recalled him. Pikachu called its name up to Ash eagerly, and the trainer nodded, "You're up old buddy. Let's do this."

Pikachu bounded onto the field enthusiastically and gave a look of determination to the opposing Crobat, whose eyes returned the glare.

"Let the battle resume!" the referee called once again.

"Bats! Throw some smoke onto the field! Haze!" Jarrow commanded with a grin just as maniacal as his partner. Crobat executed the order immediately, flooding half the field with smoke. Pikachu looked around apprehensively, trying to see any sign of Crobat in the smoke, but could find none. Ash couldn't see him either. Just then, Pikachu felt a cold wind rush behind him. He turned to see nothing. He felt it again from the opposite side and once again was greeted by nothing. Pikachu began to grow fearful, and shouted out into the smoke.

"Pikachu, keep calm, concentrate and listen for the wings!"

Pikachu closed his eyes, and his ears began twitching, picking up on sounds. It was hard to hear through the murmur of the crowd, but he thought he picked up on it momentarily, then it ceased again. He then heard a rush of wind coming from behind. Pikachu's eyes snapped open and instinctively he flipped his tail upwards, to try and intercept the incoming foe. The tail missed, but during the flip, Pikachu managed his first glimpse of the bat since the beginning of the match. The bat quickly re-entered the haze, where Pikachu lost track of it again. Ash saw this all occur; only barely managing to see Crobat. It was so fast. It was certainly faster than Pikachu, and perhaps faster than any other Pokémon he had ever seen.

"Can't hit what you can't see, can you boy! Bats, let's end the games and give 'em a nice little bite!" Jarrow teased.

Just as fast as it had vanished, Crobat reappeared from a different part of the haze, baring two large fangs that were glowing white.

"It's poison fang, Pikachu! Watch out!" Ash warned. Pikachu, barely managed to tumble out the way, one of the fangs grazing his ear. Pikachu screeched in surprise. When he looked to see the culprit, it had already vanished back into cover once more. Ash saw that Pikachu had been bit, but only barely. He hoped that he hadn't been poisoned, as the venom from a poison fang was as bad as a shot of toxic.

_I can't hit him if Pikachu can't see it... but that does mean that Crobat can't see us either..._ Ash thought to himself. That gave him an idea.

"Keep on your guard, but start shooting thunderbolts into the haze! Flush it out!" Ash ordered strongly. Pikachu did exactly that, sending bolts into the clouds of black. After a few shots that he could only assume missed, Crobat took advantage of the situation and tried another poison fang on Pikachu from the left. Ash couldn't even warn him in time, but Pikachu, still keenly aware of all sounds, anticipated the attack and lay flat on the ground as the bat passed mere inches above his head, soaring back into the smoke again. Pikachu shot a bolt into haze where the bat had just vanished, but it appeared to have missed. Pikachu continued his probing of the haze with thunderbolts, managing to evade each attack by the swift bat until, at last, one attack drove the bat up into the sky above his cover.

"There! Thunderbolt!" Ash yelled out excitedly. Pikachu did just that and a bolt sailed towards his elusive foe. The bat, having recovered from the surprise that drove it upward, easily dodged around the bolt and pressed down towards his hapless prey.

"It's coming in for an attack! Iron tail!" Ash commanded instinctively.

"Power through that attack with a giga-impact!" Jarrow replied in his high pitched voice.

As Pikachu wound up for the iron tail, Crobat shrouded himself in purple energy, surrounded by yellow trails that left streaks behind it. Finally, the two attacks clashed, but Pikachu got the worst of it. Pikachu was knocked into the haze himself, while the momentum carried Crobat into another region of smoke as well.

Ash searched the field for either Pikachu or Crobat, but saw neither. Not long after, the two emerged from the black gases that pervaded the field. Pikachu looked quite exhausted. Sending in so many thunderbolts into the haze, then taking what was clearly a very powerful giga-impact had drained him. Crobat, with only a few bruises from the clash of iron tail and giga-impact, looked in far better condition than his opponent.

"Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered quickly. Pikachu whipped around and let off a quick bolt in Crobat's direction. Ash gritted his teeth as Crobat dodged it with little more than a flutter of his wings. The flying-type dodged it so fast, it looked as though he almost teleported away rather than actually moved. Ash became frustrated, and ordered another attack. It was risky, and it would be both draining to Pikachu, and would leave him vulnerable for the slightly longer charge time, but he saw it as the only option. "Discharge! Fill up the whole stadium with it if you have to! Just hit it!"

Pikachu, clearly tired beyond all measure, nodded slowly to his trainer and looked at the mocking Crobat, still smiling at him, as though taunting him. It willed Pikachu to gather all the power he could.

"PIII KAAAAAA CHUUUUUUUU!" Ash's long-time partner cried out as it sent out what was likely the biggest spread of electricity in his life. Despite being exhausted, he managed to do exactly as his trainer ordered, filling up the entire field with arcs of electricity. Crobat dodged between sinews of electricity with grace, but eventually, one connected. When that one connected, many others managed to sweep by and gave the bat a healthy shock. The lightning subsided soon after, and Pikachu slumped to the ground. Crobat, while having been delivered a super-effective shock, hadn't been too adversely affected. The electricity had been spread so far around, and done by such a worn out electric-type that it wasn't nearly as powerful as it could have been. In fact, Ash could see now, it likely did more to hurt Pikachu than it did Crobat.

Ash was growing livid, while Jarrow was simply ecstatic. Jarrow knew he took a hit, but he knew it cost his opponent more. Jarrow saw the still moving mouse on the ground and gave the order he felt would end this round, "Giga-impact!" Crobat's grin grew even wider and its eyes gave off a light of deviousness as he began to shroud himself in more of the purple and yellow energy.

"Pikachu you need to move!" Ash cried out to his partner. Pikachu managed to pick itself up to its feet and looked to Ash, with a gleam of reckless determination in his eyes. Ash knew what that look meant. Pikachu wanted to meet the bat head on. He could already see sparks beginning to envelope his starter's body. He wanted to cry out for him to stop. He knew at this point, if Pikachu did that, with all the damage and exhaustion piled onto the poor mouse, that he could be severely injured. And yet, some voice in the back of his mind told him something else. Something that he so desperately wanted to believe. Something that he had been travelling for years to be able to accomplish.

_I could win this. Right here, right now, _his mind tried to convince him.

Ash hesitated for a split-second, and that was all it took. Ash came to his senses, realizing that Pikachu's safety was far too important and tried to call Pikachu off. But his moment of hesitation was his undoing. Pikachu was already dashing towards Crobat, who now was streaking towards Pikachu in his purple and yellow shell of energy.

"NO! STOP, PIKACHU!" Ash cried out in desperation.

It was too late. The yellow mouse was committed and there was no stopping him. Pikachu gained a layer of energy as well, summoning up his last bastion of strength as he prepared for his last move of the match: Volt Tackle.

"Pika pika pika pika pika pika," the cries of his name began to ramp up in speed and intensity as he screeched towards his blindingly fast opponent. Sheer lightning enveloped his body as transformed from a running mouse to a sheer force of lightning and he continued to chant his own name, "Pika pika pika pika pika PIKA PIKA PIKA!"

At last the two forces met. An explosion of epic proportions shook the stadium. All the haze was blown away instantly and a massive cloud of dirt and dust flew upwards into the sky, climbing even higher than the stadium's massive lights. Both trainers and much of the audience had to cover their eyes to not only avoid going blind from dust, but just to keep the forceful wind out of their face. Silence fell on the stadium. Everyone stood trying to peer into the field, seeing who was still conscious, if anyone at all. Dawn stood at the edge of the rails, hoping but knowing the attempt would be futile in helping to locate her beloved and his oldest friend sooner. The dust began to settle and they saw it. Pikachu lay beaten on the dirt, while Crobat fluttered sluggishly above him.

The referee, tentatively approaching from the edge of the field, coughed a few times to clear his throat of dust before hoarsely announcing, "Pikachu is unable to battle, Crobat wins this round."

Ash was dumbstruck by the fact that Crobat was still afloat. But more than that, Ash was absolutely livid with himself for allowing Pikachu to do that. Pikachu looked like he had taken the worst beating of his life. He could only stare in cold shock at his friend who now lay helplessly and only barely breathing on the field. He was so blind to the world that he didn't even notice a Nurse Joy quickly roll a stretcher onto the field until it entered his field of view. Seeing her move Pikachu onto the stretcher broke his stone-like trance and he ran onto the field to inspect his Pokémon along with the nurse who was now rushing it away.

"Is he going to be ok? Tell me Nurse Joy! Is he going to be ok?" Ash asked desperately.

Joy answered quickly as she continued to roll him towards the entrance to the field, "He looks pretty bad, but I'm sure we can help. I assure you we will do our best." She passed through the threshold to the battlefield where the door shut and locked behind her. It was like a piece of himself was being carted away beyond those metal doors.

"Mr. Ketchum, you must return to your designated area and use your last Pokémon."

The referees words echoed inside him like an empty shell, but they still registered, if only barely. He slowly walked back to his place on his side of the field and took out his last pokéball. His mind wasn't on the battle anymore, only with Pikachu.

Dawn watched helplessly from the sidelines. The shouting from the audience had grown to a feverous pitch with the prospect of the final battle unfolding before them. Dawn tried to shout to Ash, "Ash you can do this! I know it's hard to think about the battle right now, but he'll be fine! You need to give it everything so that he won't have gotten hurt for nothing!" She took another breath and yelled again, "I know you can do this! I believe in you! I believe in us!"

Though the words themselves never reached his ears, he caught a few notes of her wonderful voice in his ears, even through the commotion of the audience. He knew that he made a promise to her. He wouldn't break it. Ever. He would contemplate how he failed as a trainer, how he had failed Pikachu... later. Now he had to finish what he had started. Wordlessly, he tossed his pokéball forth onto the field, and Charizard's monstrous form took shape once again. The fire-type roared defiantly as he was clearly eager for the prospect of battle once again. However, when he saw his opponent was a diminutive bat, he snorted in annoyance.

Ash, seeing this reaction quickly moved to try and stifle this behaviour, "Don't go thinking this one is going to be easy. It took out Pikachu. It's plenty strong!" At this, Charizard raised one eyebrow in keen interest. Crobat had gained back some of his vitality through the rest between rounds and his formerly unsteady hovering had leveled out. The poison-flying type still bore that malevolent grin, just the same as its master.

"Now do you see why this is so funny boy? This is supposed to be how it ends. You've gone and thrown your very best at me and lost! Powerful as your Charizard is... it cannot stand up to ol' batsy here! Your last hope was Pikachu... and I quashed it," Jarrow taunted from his place on the opposite end of the field, small laughs punctuating his speech. Ash's fists clenched in anger as the arrogant man continued, "You're broken now, boy! I honestly hoped to be the one to do it. To show you, you have no power here. But as it so happens... you did it yourself! I can see it in your eyes! The grief wrapped in guilt! You sent your own little friend to his own worst beating, and your prospects at a title along with it! It's better than I could have possibly hoped for!" He giggled in almost girlish glee at his speech as Ash's rage intensified.

But the man wasn't finished, and he concluded, his voice growing deep and sinister, "And now, you'll fail, just like every single time before... you can't do anything to stop it, and the harder you try... the harder you will fall!"

That was it. Ash lost it. He could only barely restrain himself for the referee to call the match back on so he could give the first order, "Flamethrower!"

Charizard gladly executed the order and blew a searing hot jet of flame at the bat. Crobat easily dodged to both Charizard's and his trainer's chagrin.

"Again!" Ash barked.

Charizard, just as eager to show this agile bat the meaning of real power, launched another flamethrower, moving it this time to try and fake out the winged fiend. However, the bat easily saw the attack pattern and compensated. Though the bat clearly moved slower than in his battle with Pikachu, he still far exceeded Charizard in that respect. Even without order, Charizard continued his assault on Crobat, hoping to score a decisive hit, but none came.

"Haze!" Jarrow called out with a slight chuckle. Crobat poured smoke from its mouth, attempting to cover the field in smoke-like vapours again.

"Not this time! Charizard, burn it all away!" Ash countered. Charizard belched forth even more flames and just as quickly as it came, the haze was incinerated before it even hit the field, leaving a very surprised Crobat in its wake.

"No matter! If deception doesn't work, speed will!" Jarrow announced, "Poison fang!"

"Dodge it!"

Charizard began flapping his wings, but then something came over Charizard that caused him to wince in pain. Sparks crackled all over the fire-flying type as he found himself incapable of moving.

"No! One of the thunders must have done that!" Ash exclaimed. He gritted his teeth. If Charizard couldn't move or fly out of the way, he would have to use an offensive move as a defensive one, "Use Steel-Wing to block!"

Even through the gripping paralysis, Charizard's wings took on a steely sheen. The Flame Pokémon, with great effort, managed to move his wing enough to clash with the maw of the Crobat when it came within range. Poison fangs had no effect on the steel barrier, allowing Charizard's superior weight to prove effective. The act of Charizard unfurling his now metallic wing caused Crobat to be sent flying to the ground.

Jarrow was still smiling, even at this turn of events. He berated his partner, "Come on now, Bats! Can't let one brutish slap keep you down! Get up and try again!"

"Hurry and burn it before it recovers!" Ash interjected. Charizard, recovering from his current bout of paralysis sluggishly turned and let out another flamethrower. However, Crobat saw it coming, and quickly reacted, pulling away just in time to leave the ground under him scorched, but the bat itself fine, aside from a few beads of sweat from the heat. As ordered, Crobat quickly flew around Charizard and bore its fangs in preparation for another attack. Charizard tried to whip around to catch it but failed.

"Patience... patience, wait for it to happen again..." Jarrow advised to his combatant.

Ash knew exactly what they were waiting for, and knew he had to act fast before the opportunity rose again. He formulated a new plan. "Charizard, set the area around you on fire!"

"Charizard raised a curious eyebrow at Ash before complying. He quickly drew a circle of flames around himself using flamethrower. Now the only place Crobat could reach him was from above. Naturally, Crobat attempted to reach him through the gaping hole above, and that is when Ash decided it was time. "Now fly and grab it!"

Charizard smirked and did just that. The bat looked utterly surprised at this development as Charizard rose into the sky with Crobat in hand. The audience's already loud cheers began to erupt further as they saw what was coming. Dawn's hopes began to soar as he saw Ash beginning to control the match again, and she too joined in. Charizard continued to soar higher and higher and he began his trademark loops in the sky in preparation for a seismic toss.

"Haze now!"

Ash's expression turned from one of hope to one of panic as a giant cloud of smoke formed above them. He could hear Charizard coughing and choking all the way from down on the field, and then several painful roars. Charizard came plummeting from the opaque haze and crashed onto the field, much to both his horror and that of many spectators. Dawn's heart plummeted just as fast as Charizard had. She looked to Ash on the field who looked completely frozen.

Jarrow was practically dancing on the field, giddy with how this was all playing out. Ash finally saw why when he saw the fallen form of Charizard. On his wings, were several bite marks, all oozing purple fluid. Ash felt his heart stop momentarily. He knew that Charizard was most certainly poisoned. Worse was the fact that it was a particularly virulent poison that worsened over time.

"We got this one in the bag now bats! Just keep your distance and hit him with venoshock!"

Crobat's smile returned in full force and he began to spit green, acidic ichor at Charizard. He was helpless and unable to avoid it, as the beast was struggling to get back on its feet. Every hit caused Charizard immense pain, and it was clearly evident for Ash to see. Charizard gritted his teeth and tried to pull himself to his feet, but each splash of venoshock sent him back to the ground with a roar of agony. Every cry pulled at Ash's heartstrings, and all he could think about was how there might be a second critical patient for Nurse Joy to tend to. He was already unsure how Pikachu would fare, and he didn't want to have the neglect of two of his best friends' well-being on his hands. Even if he could think of a way out of this, he just couldn't bear the pain.

Ash could see Charizard's eyes, almost begging him to help. It was a look of desperation and fear that he hadn't seen Charizard's eyes since he was a Charmander. Between the poison now wracking him from within and the constant splattering of the acidic venoshock on his back, Ash could almost pinpoint the moment his heart was crushed.

_Not again. I won't make the same mistake twice. No hesitation._

"Enough!" Ash cried. The audience grew silent and Dawn's expression changed from concern to shock.

"I forfeit! Call him off!"

Crobat voluntarily ceased and looked at its master. With a smile as big as ever, the trainer nodded to his partner and Crobat withdrew from the field to the side of his trainer.

"The red trainer has forfeited the match. The winners are Crobat and Hamill Jarrow, of Jubilife City!"

The announcer began once again, "Incredible folks! Trainer Ash Ketchum has forfeited the match in the final round of the final match. That leaves us with the victor and Champion of the Lily of the Valley Conference, Hamill 'Grin' Jarrow, and his amazing team!"

Ash returned Charizard, to his pokéball and quickly dashed off the field. The only thing he could think of now was getting his Pokémon medical attention. The in-stadium Pokémon Center staff were expecting him as he ran to their reception. He quickly handed Nurse Joy his pokéballs, and asked tentatively, "Is Pikachu ok? Could I see him?"

The nurse looked at him with caring eyes, and told him, "My sister is currently helping him. But I hear that Pikachu will be alright. The worst is behind him. Unfortunately, he needs some more treatment yet, so I'm afraid you won't be able to see him tonight. Come back tomorrow, and I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Thank you," Ash managed to choke out, nearly on the verge of tears, and he added, "Please, help these five as well. Especially Charizard. He fought hard, but he got it the worst of it after Pikachu."

"I will do my very best," Nurse Joy said as she took the tray containing the pokéballs. As Ash turned away to leave, the Nurse called his attention once more, "I saw the battle on the TV, Mr. Ketchum. I know what you had to do was hard. But in the end, you made the right decision. You are a credit to your Pokémon."

Ash nodded to her, but in his mind, he could only tell himself one thing: _I did the right thing... but only too late for my oldest friend._

* * *

**Thanks for all of you who have followed, favourited and reviewed so far. It's greatly appreciated. **

**I know this chapter was a fairly lengthy one, and I hope my battle writing was exciting enough to keep you engaged throughout.**

**And if any of you are wondering how long it will take Misty to make an appearance: Fear not, she will make her debut in the story very soon.**


	4. Chapter 4: Catharsis

**Courtesy Lemon Warning: Fairly descriptive sexual content in this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Catharsis**

Dawn came to the Pokémon center as soon as she could. She was held back by the crowd as it emptied from the arena. She knew that Ash would be at the Pokémon center to make sure his loyal companions received the treatment they needed as soon as possible. As soon as she was able to wriggle her way free from the packed hallway leading to the exit of the arena, she made a mad dash to the medical facilities, which at this point in the tournament were far less crowded. When she arrived, she didn't see Ash there. All he saw was a lone Nurse Joy and her Chansey companion working at the front counter.

Dawn, without any hesitation sprinted to the desk, and even while half-winded, asked the pink-haired lady, "Hi! Have you seen Ash Ketchum! I need to talk to him!"

The lady eyed Dawn suspiciously and then answered, "Are you some fan hoping to get his autograph? Because I don't think he'd appreciate that right now."

A look of confusion passed over Dawn's face, which rearranged itself into an expression of shock and embarrassment when she realized what she probably looked and sounded like at the moment, "Oh! No no no no! I'm his friend! He brought me here with him as support, but I lost him after the match!"

"Don't worry, I've seen her with him before," a new female voice, very similar to Nurse Joy's came from the back of the center. Another Nurse Joy walked forward with the trademark Joy smile on her face. She looked a bit older than the one Dawn was talking to, but not by much. She continued, "Her name is Dawn, and she came in with Mr. Ketchum earlier in the tournament when I had to take care of his Pokémon before."

"Oh," the younger Joy said regretfully, with some embarrassment, "My apologies. Mr. Ketchum came in earlier to deliver his Pokémon for treatment, and to check on his Pikachu. He was quite distraught with their conditions. He went straight back down that hall where he came from, towards the red trainer locker room."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Dawn said, bowing her head in gratitude.

"You're welcome," they replied in unison.

"If it's ok for me to ask, how are his Pokémon doing?" Dawn inquired nervously.

The older Nurse Joy spoke first, "His Pikachu came in pretty rough condition, but I've stabilized him, and completed his first set of treatments, though he'll need to be attended to more over the course of the night. Otherwise he should be recovered in a couple of days."

The younger Joy added to her older sister, "And his other Pokémon weren't in near as bad shape as Pikachu, so they just need some minor treatment and rest. Though Charizard took quite a beating and has a lot of Crobat poison in his system, that Pokémon is a toughie, and should recover as soon as Pikachu."

Dawn looked a bit more relieved at this news and breathed out a sigh of relief, "Thank you both! Now I need to go help Ash!"

"Please do. The man looked about as beat up as his Pokémon," the younger Joy said sorrowfully.

Dawn quickly ran off in the direction of the locker rooms. Hoping to find her love and help him through what she knew would be a rough patch. Ash helped her before, and she was determined to do the same for him.

* * *

Ash sat in his locker room, utterly dismayed.

_How?_ He mentally interrogated himself, _How did I lose the match... no... that's not what I should be asking... how did I lose track of what was really important._

_Worse, how could I let Pikachu do that? How could I hesitate... That was completely reckless. I'm not worthy of the title of trainer, let alone master._

Sure, the Nurse Joy said he would be ok. But it didn't matter. He knew that he had failed in his mandate to put his Pokémon's interests ahead of his own. For him, it was ultimate insult to his role as a trainer. It flew in the face of his dream. No longer could he look back and say that he became a master while always considering the well-being of his Pokémon before anything else.

He cursed himself silently. Jarrow's demeanour had put him off somehow. He let his opponent's mind games throw him off balance. It just let him lower his guard and lose his focus. He was disappointed, again not with his Pokémon, but with himself. Even with Dawn there, he managed to somehow lose. He was crushed. He couldn't even bear to look at himself in the mirror. After how badly Pikachu had been hurt, Ash didn't know if he would ever be able to send his starter into battle without remembering this battle and recoiling in terror. He didn't know how he was going to look at Dawn either. He knew he didn't deserve to.

"I was going to win it... for _us._"

A sharp knock on the locker room door shook him from his thoughts.

"Ash!" a gentle female voice emanated from the door.

He couldn't bear to see her. To let her see him. He thought he knew what he was missing. He thought she was what he was missing. He was wrong. He still couldn't win a league. He still couldn't challenge the elite four. He couldn't reach a champion. He still couldn't become a master.

"Ash, please open the door. I know what you're feeling right now, and I want to help! Please!"

_Such a wonderful voice,_ he thought mournfully, _I don't deserve to hear it. I failed her. I failed Pikachu..._

"Ash, listen to me please! I need to see you! Don't let this send you on another lonely trip around the world! I need you! I can't let you run away!"

_Bless her voice, _he spoke in his mind. It was pleading, yet somehow, invigorating. He was conflicted. These new feelings for Dawn were so powerful. The emotions that had surfaced through their new journey through Sinnoh, culminating in the events directly before the match, kept pounding back and forth within the walls of his skull. The memories of the kiss with Dawn and the accompanying bliss clashed with the undeniable guilt and snapshots of Pikachu lying unmoving on the ground. They dueled with the inherent guilt from today that now joined forces with the old guilt that sent him on his travels in the first place. His mind was a battlefield, and he felt he was coming undone because of it.

He sat on the bench, his pounding head in his hands, not even noticing the sound of the door unlocking. There was a brief 'thank you' in the distance and the sound of the door opening and closing quickly. Ash remained in his position, motionless despite the new presence that entered the room. She drew closer to him, and for a moment, he nearly felt able to move. Her smell entered his nostrils and he almost breathed out in relief. But then he remembered that he didn't deserve her.

Dawn had changed back into her normal clothes, feeling the cheerleader outfit did not befit the situation. She needed to comfort him and offer him safe ground, free of what had just happened. The pink frilly pom-poms would only remind him of that. She was nervous though. She knew that what she likely said in the next few minutes would determine his future: If he would continue his quest to be a master, or if he decided that it wasn't worth it.

"Ash, I know this is hard. But you'll get through it," she paused and put a gentle dainty hand on his shoulder. The tension in Ash's body began to ebb slowly. She continued, "No, _we_ will get through it."

The battle in Ash's mind took a turn. His feelings of longing toward Dawn began to fight back, stronger than ever, seeming to almost take strength from both her words and her touch. Ash's body, while slowly warming, did not stir.

"I know you think you broke a promise to me today. But you made the right choice. The noble one. You put your Pokémon above all else. And nothing, could make me love you more," Dawn spoke to Ash gently. While her words were true, they only brought on the pain of realization for him. The hesitation; that part of him he now knew existed was evidence that he craved victory. That was part of him which nearly cost him his dear friend. And that was why her words rung hollow in his ears. She saw his continued stillness, and continued to try and comfort him.

"Just remember Ash, what you said to me. That you know, I'll always cheer for you. No matter what," she moved her hand from one shoulder its opposite as she sat down beside him, holding him close, "And it's true. I'll never stop. Never. You are my hero, my saviour and my love."

Ash's mind was on fire. He heard everything she said, but only one word seemed to resonate in his head. _Love._ The guilt was slowly fading, but it still lay there, enduring, tainting his consciousness. The rest of him, however, was slowly reacting to the presence of the blue haired beauty beside him. Dawn slowly removed his hands from his head, and turned it so that their eyes finally met.

That was it.

The battle was won.

The wonderful face of this gorgeous woman had entered his field of view and he couldn't help but melt. He face went from static to enamoured in less than a second. And even as he stared into the gorgeous blue eyes of this woman he didn't deserve, his own eyes, which he thought already drained, began to tear up once more. He couldn't explain it. This woman was divine. It was as though she was sent to save him and him alone. She, in return, saw his reaction and was utterly relieved and content. She put her hand to his cheek and he closed his eyes reflexively, not out of fear, but out of comfort. She wiped away his tears with the softest, most caring touch he swore he had ever felt. For the first time in what seemed like hours, Ash moved of his own free will. It was a simple gesture. It was one of gratitude and understanding. He mimicked her hand by putting his to her opposing cheek. She too, closed her eyes. For minutes they sat there like that, simply feeling each other's emotions through the physical contact. All their guilt, passion, longing, dreams and love were passed back and forth. They knew one another completely. It was magic.

Slowly they both opened their eyes and gazed longingly into the portals to one another's souls. They both understood one another and just stood up together and kissed. It wasn't the passionate messy kiss like they had before. This one was soft, supple, and delicate. It was what they both needed right then. When it ended, they held each other's hands and finally one of them spoke.

"Let's go Ash. I know somewhere peaceful. Somewhere away from all this."

He merely nodded, not making a sound. She took him by the hand and they left the locker room. He didn't care where she was taking him; only that she was going to be there when they arrived. They snuck away through a side exit of the stadium to avoid the press. Neither of them wanted that at the moment. Dawn, with more force than usually befit the lithe young lady, pulled Ash into the wooded area around the Lily of the Valley grounds. They strode through the trees quickly and quietly, Dawn seeming to know exactly where she going, while Ash was pulled blindly along the way. It didn't matter though. He trusted her completely. She could lead him to the edge of a cliff and he would follow her now. Where she was leading him, however, was far better.

They began to climb a forested hill, the tallest on the island. It was a lengthy and exhausting ascent, but it was worth it. The couple emerged from the thicket onto a mound of grass at the very peak of the island, capped by a single tree. He could see the entirety of the landmass, and even mainland Sinnoh in the distance. In the light of the moon and the stars, it was a vista that they knew they were likely never to see again. It was perfect.

_It's not perfect,_ he mentally corrected himself, turning to her. He saw her bathed in the moon's rays and she seemed to almost glimmer. Her blue hair swayed in the gentle breeze, and her blue eyes reflected the moon's gleam in a most magical way. Her perfect skin shone gently. It really was like she was an angel.

_She's perfect._

He tried to speak but he just couldn't. His mouth opened, but no words came forth.

Dawn giggled at this, and put a finger to his lips to stop his attempts. She drew close, and at the last moment withdrew her finger, replacing it with her lips instead. The kiss was like before: delicate, soft and tender. But it grew from that this time. It deepened, becoming more passionate. More and more, it began to resemble their first kiss that day. The carnal, sexual passion took hold and they gripped one another tightly.

His hand wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her to him. The feeling of having her entire body against him was wonderful. She did the same with her hands around his neck, making the kiss even deeper than before. It was in throes of this new deepness that his tongue probed forward, seeking her lips. She opened her mouth slightly, just enough to invite him. He took the invitation gladly, sliding it in slowly, as not to shock her. It explored her mouth cautiously, until at last it met hers. The duel began. They first touched, timidly touching and retreating from one another. Then they competed against one another, writhing, slipping, dodging, and pushing back and forth.

At last, Dawn's managed to sneak about and push his tongue past her lips and through his. Now she explored his mouth deeply. It moved about sensually; glad to know every bit of his wonderful mouth and meeting his tongue once again. While their tongues continued, their hands played a different sort of game. It was one of pure exploration. Ash's hands traveled up and down Dawn's back, tickling her spine and causing her to moan involuntarily. He learned every inch of her supple skin with one hand while the other teased her hip. He grew bolder soon enough and cupped one cheek of her rear with his hand and she gasped, leading her to end the kiss sooner than she would have liked. Her hand continued to draw circles his lower chest. She loved how he felt. Though she hated that his foolish reasoning had led him to travel the world alone, she loved what it had done to his body.

They locked eyes again, having been opened after the kiss ended. They both looked into each other's souls with such longing it would have burned a hole through any other person had they stood between the two lovers. Dawn's hands moved to the hem of Ash's shirt. Normally he would've been startled by such an action, but not now. This was how it was meant to happen. This is what he had been waiting for his entire life. Forget being a Pokémon Master, forget being a great trainer. Forget seeing the world, or impressing his friends and rivals. He never knew it until now, but he found the one thing he was looking for since the day he was born.

The love of his life.

She drew up the shirt over his head and revealed his toned body. He worked out and traveled enough that he was fit. He didn't bulge with muscles, but she didn't want that. She wanted Ash, as he was: The perfect man for her. She laid her hands on his chest, and the skin-to-skin contact felt electric. She exhaled as though she had been holding her breath her entire life, and now she could breathe again. Ash, too, felt something kindling within him. She took the base of her black shirt and began to lift, albeit apprehensively. He stopped midway up, afraid that he was overstepping his bounds. She took his hands, held them gently, and looked at him. She motioned upwards with her hands and put her arms directly above her head in expectation. It was an expectation that Ash would not disappoint. He pulled it up and beheld her nearly naked form. The more of her skin that was illuminated by the moonlight, the more he seemed to come alive.

She took his hands and placed them on her pink skirt. He was still extremely nervous, but she nodded to him. With both their sets of hands, they slid the skirt down from her wondrous hips until gravity did the rest. All that remained on her lower half was a pair of blue panties that matched her bra. She smiled at him and giggled nervously.

For the first time since they left the stadium, Ash uttered one word, "Dawn." His voice was hoarse, but full of feeling. Moved less by what he said, but rather how thick with emotion he had said it, she quickly pulled him to her. The contact of bare skin against bare skin was enough to send shivers into both of them. But Dawn overcame quickly, reconnecting in another deep kiss. Dawn resumed her mission to rid her love of his last remaining articles of clothing and she quickly accomplished her goal. She pulled down his pants which, accidentally or not, took his boxers with them. He became, momentarily, intensely self-conscious, but Dawn kissed the feelings of doubt and insecurity away. He relaxed again and embraced the kiss.

His hands began to move along her form again, until he found the clasp of her bra. He fumbled, but by some miracle, undid them; without even a reaction from Dawn they fell away. However, the contact of her breasts on his chest did elicit a reaction. She let out a long droning moan that seemed to set Ash on fire. One of his hands, guided by nothing more than instinct, moved between them and cupped her left breast, while the other moved southward on her opposite side.

He had absolutely no experience in this field, but it seemed almost instinctual for him. He began to draw circles around her nipple with his finger that grew smaller and smaller. In response, Dawn hands went to work as well. One gripped one of his toned rear, while the other moved in a more devious direction. Just as Ash began slide her panties down, her hand grasped the now erect shaft poking at her midsection. Ash gasped, unable to comprehend the feeling of something so good. His task of lowering her panties was left half finished as he tried to steady his mind and body against the sensation now gripping him literally and figuratively.

She began to move her hands back and forth, drawing hitched sounds from Ash, who desperately tried to remain in control of his faculties as he was driven blissfully mad. At last his hand regained its control as it moved back to the panties and finished the job it had started. They fell to the ground onto the earlier discarded skirt.

They both stepped back from one another to take each other in fully. Now both completely in the nude, they couldn't help but admire one another. Dawn's body was shapely and slender. Her small breasts complimented her perfectly, while her womanhood, while mostly hidden between her closed legs, seemed to beckon him forth, even from beneath that small patch of bluish hair. As she turned away in nervousness, Ash also managed a glimpse of her rear. It was cute and round; perfectly shaped, and more pronounced than her clothes let on. It, too, added to her divine form.

She looked on his toned body as well. His chest and stomach were perfect, his legs and arms were strong, and his shaft was all too eager to reach her. Ash looked hungrily at her while Dawn reciprocated his stare, with her gaze darting between his eyes and his member repeatedly. But there was also love in their eyes, and their mutual reverence held them back from complete and utter animalistic behaviour.

They approached and embraced each other tenderly. And Ash finally found words again, "Is this what you want?"

She gave him a small smile, her eyes glistening with adoration. She loved that, even after all this, he wanted to know what _she_ wanted. He truly was selfless. She held him close, and kissed him on the lips softly; a memory of the first minutes they were up here. She replied quietly, and firmly, "I have never wanted something so badly in my life."

And harkening back to their meeting at her home only months prior, Ash hugged her deeply. There was no sexuality behind it. There was no carnality. It was a hug of love and comforting relief. He said those same words as he done before.

"Thank... you... Dawn."

She almost began to tear up at the memory he was evoking. But that was not the end of what he had to say. He said three more words which nearly sent her to heaven right then and there.

"I love you."

That sent her beyond her emotional edge. Tears fell freely from her eyes and she withdrew her head from his shoulder and looked into his chocolate brown eyes. She could only say one thing. There was no choice in the matter. She was committed emotionally and physically.

"I love you too."

No more permissions needed to be asked. No more declarations. No more words of comfort. Both their bodies and hearts were laid bare before one another. It was a perfect understanding.

Ash laid her back onto the strangely comforting grass on the crest of the hill. He kissed her, lightly at first. She deepened it and their urges took it from there. He eventually broke their kisses to strike at her throat with further pecks of affection, which she gladly accepted. She strained he neck back to give him more of it to love. He eventually moved from it as well and caressed her breasts. Dawn couldn't even fathom the feelings she was having. It was too intense. It grew more so when he finally moved his mouth to them. She truly broke down then, screaming out in pleasure. He alternated between the two with his mouth, while his hand continued on the other. With his free hand, he moved down towards her womanhood and began to encircle it with his fingers.

She gasped loudly, quickly beginning to run out of air from the heavy breathing and constant gasps and squeals. His hand brushed over her clit, and she convulsed, letting out a shrill yell of pleasure. Ash paused momentarily, pulling his head back and looking at her with concern; he was afraid he had hurt her. She saw this and pulled him back into a deep kiss to alleviate any doubts. His hand returned to that little bundle of nerves and he copied his prior act, sending her careening towards the heavens in bliss once again. He continued to tease her entrance with his hand, and though he only did it for minutes, the sensations made it seem like hours. At last she decided it was time.

"Ash!" she gasped, trying to form a sentence. She failed, "Ash- now! Please, I'm ready!"

Ash's patience had begun to run low then as well, as he eagerly complied. He took a moment to admire form of her womanhood. It truly was divine. It was so beautiful, that he felt almost guilty for what he was about to do, as though his actions would somehow despoil her. But he remembered that she wanted it. He placed himself at her entrance, touching it gently with his throbbing head. He went to kiss her once more. He knew she was virgin still. And that meant one thing. He was deathly concerned for her. He didn't wish to hurt her. She saw the worry in his eyes and she whispered in his ear, in the best sentence she could form, "I know, I'll be fine. Please."

They kissed once more, and then he slowly parted the petals of her flower with his manhood. He entered her slowly and surely. It was not long before he encountered the barrier they both feared. She braced herself and nodded to him. He pushed past it and she did her best to hold her scream in. She was only partly successful. She let out a gurgled half-scream which nearly caused Ash's heart to stop dead cold in his chest. More of her tears joined the rest that had come before, and Ash dared not move for fear of hurting her further. She clenched her eyes shut for nearly a full minute before opening them slowly. She opened them to see her one love looking at her with a concerned face. His look softened as she began to smile again. She felt better. In fact, she felt good now.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, and pulled him the rest of the way herself. Ash was shocked, not only her action, but by the feeling. It was indescribable. She felt so good around him as her inner walls wrapped around him so completely that not even an inch of him was without her velvet touch. There was no way any other event in his life was going to compare. She nodded to him, and he began to move.

He was wrong. Being buried in her depths was great. But moving inside her was even better. Standards were shattered time and time again as they moved together, as one united form. They couldn't stop. They wouldn't stop. It was meant to be. It was ecstasy. It was love.

"Faster," Dawn managed to squeak. Ash could only obey as he accelerated. One of his hands held him aloft just enough to allow him to keep him from crushing her, while the other caressed her form; all the way from her hips, to her breasts, to her cheeks. His every touch was fire on her skin. It was driving her insane. And that was nothing compared to how she felt in her core. His every push, every withdrawal, and every throb stoked a flame deep within her; and it was growing by the second. Her cries grew more rapid, and more pronounced. He tried to stifle his own moans and gasps, but failed miserably. The experience drove them to new heights of sensation for all senses: The smell of one another's lust, the fiery brush of their skin against one another, the taste of their tender lips meeting, the sounds of their frantic breathing and unchecked moans, and the sight of the pure love in each other eyes as they locked. This was paradise to them.

They knew they were close. They knew it was inevitable. All the signs were there. Ash just wanted to let it happen, and take her with him, but he needed to make sure. He had to ask.

"I'm close..." Ash managed to gasp, "Do you want me to..."

She interrupted, each sentence punctuated by a deep, laboured breath, "Please! I want it all! I need it all! Please! I love you so much!"

That was all he needed to hear. He wanted to return the words, but her own reply set his body alight. But she saw the sentiment in his eyes. As they continued, the lovers met in their most powerful kiss yet.

He quickened his pace to levels he thought were impossible. She was driven up the wall and her back arched up towards him in reflex, as though she were offering more of herself to him. He continued to thrust forth until they could only barely tell there was a world around them. It was only them. The ground was just a force keeping them aloft. The wind was nothing next to their movements. The light of the moon was just gleam on each other's skin.

She felt it: The inevitable release. It poured from her inner depths and soaked her throughout, allowing Ash to go even faster, even as her body clamped down on his member. That was enough. He erupted inside her. Years of pent up passion were let loose in seconds within the woman he so desperately loved. It took forever for it to cease and every jet caused just a little bit more pleasure for the already overwhelmed lover beneath him. Even as their carnal desires subsided, replaced by the innocent need to simply hold one another, they refused to detach. She felt simply wonderfully filled by him, and he felt like the absence of her surrounding him would leave him unable to feel good ever again.

They simply lay beside one another, wrapped in each other's arms on the warm summer grasses. They never wanted to leave this place. They never wanted to return to a world beyond this hilltop. And they wouldn't, at least not for that night. The summer breeze caressed them, and they felt no need to cover themselves. They were utterly content as they lay there. No cold, no regret, no guilt, no loneliness. It was the perfect night and the perfect union. Under the stars they continued to embrace one another, as though no force on Earth or beyond could rip them apart.

Before they departed from one another into the realm of sleep, Ash, gazing into her eyes, spoke a few last words to her, "I'll never leave you again. I'm so sorry that I did once. Never again."

In the haze before his dreams, he managed to catch her reply, "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to help you fulfill your dream."

He himself was unsure if he managed to say it before he drifted away, but he certainly tried, "It already has been."

With that, Ash fell asleep, with Dawn only seconds behind. She relished the last words of the now unconscious Ash. She managed one last glimpse of her beloved before she fell into her own dreams as well.

* * *

Ash awoke on the grass the next morning. He felt rejuvenated in the light of the new sunrise. Before he managed to open his eyes, snapshots of the most wonderful dream he ever had flashed before him. It was all so vivid, almost as though he could still feel her next to him.

His eyes slowly cracked open and his blurred vision slowly came into focus. His heart was unable to decide whether or not to race, somersault or simply stop out of shock and relief. Ash's first sight of the new day was the gleaming face of a contentedly sleeping Dawn, with whom he was still physically entangled.

_It wasn't a dream..._

She slept peacefully, her face the image of serenity. He was eternally grateful and hoped every morning would be like this from then on. Dawn, his true love, a woman who never ceased to amaze him with her ability to turn his sorrows to joys, and her steadfast commitment to both their goals: She was his happiness.

He didn't need to be a master anymore to achieve what he found with her. He thought it was the only way. But he was wrong. He had finally discovered his real goal, his real dream. To be with her.

But he remembered something crucial. Something he couldn't ignore. His Pokémon. His friends. His loyal companions who agreed to accompany him on this journey to become the very best. He had bonded with them on a personal level, all through the exciting prospect of becoming the greatest the world had ever seen. It wasn't just the trainer who would become a master; it would be his Pokémon too. Of course, these thoughts brought him back to the woes of yesterday. Pikachu still lay in the Pokémon Center, recovering because of his hesitance and his overpowering ambition.

It was enough that he needed a moment to himself. He gingerly untangled himself from the pristine, sleeping Dawn and moved across the hilltop towards the eastern side. He grabbed his pants and boxers as he went and put them back on, but didn't bother with his shirt, it having been tossed aside and fallen further down the path leading back to the tournament grounds. He stared at the coming of the new day. Even his sometimes slow mind couldn't help but realize the symbolism at work. It really was the dawn of a new day, and the dawn of a new part of his life; a life with Dawn.

But that wouldn't be the only thing to change for him in his new life. He contemplated how he needed to think as a trainer from that moment on. He thought he had overcome the selfish desire to win at any cost long ago, but it appeared that small part of it remained, buried deeply, but brought to the surface at a time of stress and desperation. He just kept staring at the ocean, reflecting the shimmering light of the newly risen sun, trying to understand how to do that. That was when he felt a small touch on his shoulder.

For a moment, he almost panicked, but remembered that there was only one person it could be. Dawn had redressed herself, though he only processed it peripherally because his gaze was locked on her glowing face. He looked up to see her smiling visage gleaming in the golden light of the newborn day, but only had to crane his neck momentarily as she decided to sit right next to him and enjoy the sunrise right there with him. They put their arms around one another and she rested her head on his broad shoulder.

"You look like you're thinking about something," she quietly observed.

"Yeah," Ash acknowledged, in just as low a voice.

"Knew it. Your forehead is all wrinkled, like you're having trouble figuring it out," Dawn teased, tapping his opposite shoulder playfully.

"You read me like a book..." Ash answered distantly, looking out over the sea, his mind still turning over and over.

"Wanna share?"

Ash was quiet for a moment, and then he turned his head to her as she withdrew hers from his shoulder. His eyes darted momentarily to the ground, then back to her lovely blue eyes. He sighed and explained, "You said something to me yesterday when you were trying to comfort me in the locker room. Do you remember?"

Dawn tried to remember. Between their passionate session the night before and the traumatic emotional exchange in the locker room beforehand, coupled with the vivid memories of that last battle, she had trouble pinpointing precise events. She came up with a vague answer, "I said quite a bit to try and reach you. Which part exactly?"

He drew in a breath and began to lay it out for her, "You told me that I put my Pokémon above all else, and that nothing made you love me more," he paused, gathering himself, and returned his gaze to the stadium yonder, "I wish that were true, but for a moment during the match, it wasn't."

Dawn's face shifted uncomfortably, and she prodded Ash, "What do you mean?"

Ash returned his gaze to her, and admitted dejectedly, "When Pikachu was about to use volt tackle, I knew how tired and how much of a beating he had taken. I was going to tell him to stop, and withdraw Pikachu from the battle and declare him finished for the match. But, something in my mind stopped me. This little voice that told me that we could win right then. It only had me for a second, but it was all the time it needed. That was enough time for Pikachu to start its volt tackle and after that, there was no stopping him. I tried to order him to stand down, but it was too late. That mistake, that second where I put victory over my oldest friend, very nearly cost him his life."

Dawn was taken aback by this admission. She knew Ash as nothing but a saint when it came to his Pokémon, and to hear him admitting this sounded utterly bizarre. But this cleared up many things for her. She knew Ash didn't take losses terribly well, but yesterday was the absolute worst she had seen him. She attributed it to the stakes of the match, and most of all, to the promise he made to her. She realized that those probably only compounded his already massive guilt. Her face softened at the thought of Ash's remorse and she put a hand to his face, just like she had yesterday in the locker room. His eyes involuntarily closed at the touch and his face seemed to relax visibly.

"Ash, it was nothing more than a mistake. We all make them from time to time. We can't be perfect," Dawn began, but Ash interrupted.

"You're perfect!" he said his eyes snapped open and he held her tightly, "And you deserve better..."

This sudden outburst shocked Dawn as he embraced her, and she could feel tear drops on the back of her shirt. Her arms encircled him in kind, and she rubbed his back to bring him some form of comfort. She told him, tenderly, "It's not about what I deserve, it's about what I want. And I want you. I showed you that last night."

"But you didn't know that I-,"

She interrupted him this time, her gentle voice wafting to his ears like a gentle breeze, "I'm not perfect. I'm far from it. We all make mistakes. Pikachu will forgive you. And for me, there is nothing to forgive. You are still the kindest, most generous, most caring person I know; to both Pokémon and people. One mistake will not undo the lifetime of heroics and good deeds you have performed. One act of selfishness that lasted less than a second will not make you a terrible person."

She ended the hug and took his hand in both her hands, "We are both human, and I love you, flaws and all!"

Tears still fell from the face of black-haired trainer. His face was twitching with conflicting emotions until at last his face closed to hers and the shared a long, wonderful kiss. It was like the other ones they had both shared to comfort him in his guilt: clean, soft, tender, and almost chaste.

After he opened his eyes, he looked longingly into hers. They both wore small, reassuring smiles and then gave a small laugh. Ash punctuated his by returning her words yet again, "I love you too."

He stood up, and pulled her up with him. He held her in his arms and looked towards the sun which now sat just a little higher on the horizon since he last saw it. Its shimmering wake on the waves glistened and he was struck by inspiration. He held Dawn closely, put the side of his head to hers and both gazed outwards to the ocean.

"I've figured it out," Ash announced confidently.

"Huh?"

"I know how to keep it from happening ever again," Ash spoke softly.

"The mistake?" she inquired.

"Yes."

"How?"

"Ever since I could even remember, the idea of becoming a Pokémon Master has brought me unthinkable happiness. It was what kept me going. It was the ultimate goal, being so naive; I thought it was the only way to get that kind of happiness." Ash explained, his voice growing distant.

"And?"

Ash continued his explanation, his voice thick with emotion, "I've already found it. With you. I don't think I even realized it until last night, but you make me unbelievably happy. It's same feeling I envisioned having when I became a master. But I'm not one."

Dawn's eyes grew wide and she looked at him, "No! Don't tell me you're giving up your dream for me!"

Ash chuckled, "You are my dream, Dawn... but no, I'm not giving up."

Dawn's expression of panic passed, but was replaced by bewilderment, "I... don't understand."

"It's exactly what we talked about," Ash revealed to her, turning his gaze back to her lovely face, "You said I care about my Pokémon like no one else. When I agreed to take each and every one of them with me on my journey, they had the expectation I would come through for them on my goal. It became their goal. It wasn't just about _me_ becoming a master; each of them would become one too. Each the best of its kind, unmatched in the world by its kin. I made that promise every time I caught or persuaded one to come with me. And I keep my promises. It's not just about me. It never was."

Dawn was surprised again by Ash's sense of honour, but more by this strange turn of logic he came up with. And yet, as she reviewed it in her mind, this was undoubtedly an 'Ash' thing to do. She could see it in his eyes. It truly, wasn't for him anymore; it was for his friends and companions.

"If it's about them, then I won't be tempted to do something like that ever again. What would their victory be, if they weren't there to celebrate it," Ash finished.

Dawn looked up to the taller man in wonder, keen on discovering how in eight years, that the boy she traveled with grew into this sagely, rugged man. Yet, she remembered, that when it came to morals and ideals, he had always been miles ahead of most people.

"Ash, you have no idea how beautiful the words you have just said to me are. You just never stop amazing me," Dawn praised, put her head back on his as they resumed viewing the rising sun.

"And that is how I feel about you every day Dawn. Until yesterday, I was just too shy to say it."

They kissed again, a bit more passionately than the one a few minutes prior, but nothing too involved. When their lips parted, they walked hand in hand to gather the rest of their belongings. After fully redressing themselves, they strode down the hill in much more leisurely manner than how they had ascended. Ash restrained himself from making a mad dash to the stadium's medical facility to see Pikachu, wanting to find out with Dawn at the same time. He knew she cared for the yellow mouse almost as much as he did. He also wanted to know the state of his other Pokémon as well, particularly Charizard, whose painful gaze was seared into his memory when he was being mercilessly pelted by shots of venoshock.

"Welcome back Mr. Ketchum. I'm happy to report that your Krookadile, Sceptile, Glalie, and Garchomp are all recovered from their battles. I do recommend letting them rest for another day if at all possible," the younger Joy told Ash, handing him four of his pokéballs.

"Thank you," Ash responded gratefully, but he still wanted to hear more, "What about Pikachu and Charizard?"

Nurse Joy's smile remained present, though not as strong as before, "All the poison has been expelled from Charizard's system, though he is still quite weak. I would recommend another day here before he leaves. As for Pikachu, we've hooked him up to a small generator to slowly feed him electricity to stimulate further healing, but at this point, he still needs at least two days. Any real danger has passed though!"

Ash let out a small smile, and gratefully thanked her again then inquired, "Can I see either of them?"

"You can observe them both, but each of them is asleep, and I would recommend against disturbing them. They need their rest to recover," Nurse Joy elucidated thoughtfully.

"That would be great, thank you," Ash agreed, trying to hide his somber feelings at not being able to at least be close to his two buddies. Dawn gripped his hand tightly to reassure him, and they shared a glance. This did not go unnoticed by Joy, whose smile returned on seeing to two clearly in love. The younger Joy took them into the back where they were able to observe both of his companions in from behind glass. Charizard's wings were no longer oozing the purple liquid as they once were, and the wounds themselves were stitched, while Pikachu had a number of bandages on. Other than that, they seemed to be breathing comfortably. The elder Nurse Joy was still tending to them, observing the power on the generator, monitoring vitals, and generally maintaining all treatments. The older woman saw the two through the window and gave them a wave and a thumbs-up. Ash gratefully returned the wave and nodded in affirmation, taking his red, black and white hat off in appreciation and respect as he did so.

After observing the two recovering Pokémon for about ten minutes, Dawn prompted Ash, "They'll be ok, let's go so that she doesn't feel too under pressure by having us watch her all day."

Ash nodded and they left, still linked at their hands just as they had when they entered. They walked out onto the promenade linking the stadium and the trainer residences, now quite a bit less busy since the finals that had concluded the day before. The awards ceremony had taken place immediately after, but they had missed it. But neither cared. They walked together through the grounds, simply for the sake of walking. It was a comfort to have her by his side. If this were years ago, he would have fled to try and be alone, and might've taken far longer to recover from such a devastating loss as he experienced. But she saved him. She held on tightly to him and helped alleviate the guilt. It was still there, a small blemish on his mind and in his heart, but it didn't consume him as it could have.

After the night prior, even with the events of that last battle, he couldn't help but be grateful for the hand fate had played him. Pikachu and Charizard would recover, Ash was quickly doing the same, and Dawn had found a way into his heart.

As they walked down the cobbled path towards the trainer dormitories, Ash couldn't help but look at Dawn, glimmering in the morning sunlight, her effervescent blue hair flowing in the wind, her peach skin glowing, her deep oceanic eyes shimmering, her small but reassuring smile lighting his world; it was so hard to keep his eyes away from her.

_I don't care what she says; she's human, but she's perfect. Dawn, my love... My Northern Light._


	5. 5: Rendezvous in the City by the Sea

**A/N: My apologies for the late update. Fair warning once more: there is some light lemon in this chapter, though shorter and not nearly as involved as the last one.**

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Rendezvous in the City by the Sea**

They had just come over the hilltop overlooking the city below. It was a fantastic sight. The wooded hill rolled gently downward to a landscape of streets and colourful buildings. The cityscape stretched for miles from the base of the hill, all the way to the coast. In the far distance, Cerulean Cape, along with its signature lighthouse could be seen sitting majestically in the waning afternoon sun. It was not a metropolis by any means, but it held the mixed appeal of populous, yet somehow small-town feel. Only with the vantage point of this last foothill that marked the last of the rugged terrain of Mt. Moon could one hope to get a true view of the serene beauty of this often forgotten gem of the Kanto Region: Cerulean City. Atop this hill stood two people, once close friends, now much closer.

Ash and Dawn had come to Kanto at long last. Their journey together allowed for Dawn to resume participating in official contests, while Ash simultaneously took advantage of each city's gym when the opportunity allowed. He wasn't slacking off by any means, but he decided that Dawn's performances took priority. At this point, they had only journeyed for a short while in Ash's native land.

They began in Cinnabar Island, where their ferry from Sinnoh docked. There Ash challenged the ever elusive Blaine. He had, in the years since Ash's last challenge, built and opened a new gym high on the slopes of the volcano. However, for nostalgia's sake, Blaine proposed the battle take place in the caldera just as they had done before. Moreover, Blaine requested a one-on-one rematch between Charizard and Magmortar, who had long since evolved from the Magmar it last battled Ash as.

Charizard battled with greater ferocity than usual, determined to maintain his superiority over his old fire-type rival; and to help redeem himself for his loss at the Lily of the Valley conference weeks before. In the end, Ash's powerhouse prevailed, though Magmortar certainly didn't make it easy. Blaine surprised the young couple by informing them, through riddle of course, that their bout was the final match he planned to fight as gym leader. Ash was, of course, honoured that he was chosen as his ultimate match, and Blaine was glad to have ended his career in with a battle that brought out his fiery intensity more than it had ever been in years.

Departing from Cinnabar, Ash and Dawn arrived and stayed for longer in Pallet Town, where his mother first scolded him for his lack of communications and his extremely lengthy absence without a visit. Her mood, however, was completely reversed when Dawn and Ash jointly told her that she and Ash were together now. Ash almost had to disconnect the phone in order to stop her from calling everyone about it. Ash and Dawn wanted it kept a secret for the moment. Ash, though now more liberal with his feeling towards Dawn, was still quite apprehensive about how others would react. Dawn agreed, not wanting to push her lover too fast, he having very little knowledge on how to discuss the subject properly or coherently with others. Delia, though flustered at not being able to call everyone in her phonebook about it, agreed.

After a week's stay, Ash and Dawn decided it was time to move on Viridian City and her first contest. Delia was dejected about her son's quick departure after such a long time away; but he promised her that after the next Kanto Grand Festival, he would spend some more time at home. They made it to Viridian in no time at all, and Dawn easily swept in and captured her first ribbon in the Kanto region. Ash of course, cheered for her quite loudly; he looked to return the gesture that she had done for him during his matches at the Lily of the Valley Conference, minus the cheerleading outfit of course.

In Pewter City, they met up with Brock. The year prior, he had finally gotten his degree and was a full-fledged Pokémon Doctor. Now, he had a practice set up in a wing of the Pokémon Center in his hometown. The only downside to this was the near constant pain in his rear due to the antics of his faithful, if slightly overzealous Pokémon, Croagunk. Despite being her being a medical professional, working in the same building as Nurse Joy was not conducive to the new doctor's health.

It was quite the happy reunion nonetheless. Ash and Dawn were both treated to Brock's home cooking which they both sorely missed. Ash still couldn't cook for his life and it was a wonder he survived on his own for so long. Dawn was capable, but still couldn't compare to the squinty-eyed master chef. The trio caught up on the events of the past several years, having not seen each other much beyond phone calls, or at all in Ash's case. Though Ash and Dawn intended to keep their relationship a secret, Ash's bumbling mouth accidentally tipped Brock off and their faces told the rest. Brock was ecstatic of course, though they didn't have to go through nearly the same amount of trouble as they did with Ash's mother. Brock agreed to keep quiet about it; especially because he knew someone who would likely be crushed by the news.

When Ash asked Brock who was in charge of the gym, he was directed to face Forrest, the second eldest of the plethora of Brock's siblings. Though young, Brock had taught him well, and just like his elder brother had long ago, he specialized in rock types. In a two-on-two match, Ash easily prevailed over Forrest, but was impressed all the same. He even opted to give the new leader some pointers, which Forrest eagerly took note of. It was only after that battle that Ash and Dawn bid Brock and his family farewell.

The trek over Mt. Moon was not as arduous as Ash remembered, with a new and far more direct path having been carved into the side of the mountain in recent years. As a result, they arrived in Cerulean City much earlier than anticipated. It was this journey that led up to their now brisk descent to the Cerulean coastline.

"Ash! We're almost a week early for the contest! We don't need to rush into the city!" Dawn protested as she only barely kept pace with the excited young man ahead of her. Piplup was protesting loudly from atop her head, but she didn't heed her starter's pleas as she tried to keep pace. Pikachu was shouting after Ash as well as he slowly bridged the gap between the two humans.

Ash was terribly close to breaking out in a full sprint down the winding dirt path that led from the Mt. Moon foothills into the sun struck basin that was the Cerulean Lowlands. He was excited to be coming back to this city for many reasons. True, he was excited about Dawn's impending contest, but he knew full well that it was days away. It was the fact that he wanted to take advantage of the free time given to them both to see one of his oldest friends; and challenge her to a gym battle.

He was wrapped up in the thoughts of meeting her and battling her again, just like old times; which was why he failed to notice the root protruding from the ground ahead of him. High speed and his ignorance of the obstacle in his path wrought a disastrous and somewhat comic event as Ash nearly did a full somersault as his foot hooked into the intruding root. He landed flat on his back with a loud 'oomph' and lay motionless for a moment.

"Ash!" Dawn cried out, quickly catching up and kneeling beside her reeling boyfriend. Pikachu was quick to join her and so was Piplup after he tumbled off of Dawn's head at the sudden stop she made.

"Ow," Ash blandly grumbled, making a half-hearted sound of discomfort as he raised himself into a sitting position.

"You goof," Dawn ribbed, rubbing his back gently, "What's the rush? Like is said, the contest won't be for a week at least. The last time I came through here, they hadn't made the trans-mountain road, so I expected we would still be on the mountain for another three days at least."

"Yeah... same here," Ash agreed, rubbing the back of his head as he often did when embarrassed or confused. Right now, he was feeling a bit of both.

"You didn't answer my question. What's the rush? You seem so excited to come to Cerulean!"

Ash's face lit up as he slowly pulled himself to his feet with Dawn's assistance. He looked out over the distant city which stretched from the base of the hill to the coast and answered thoughtfully, "I haven't seen Misty in person in a long, long time. Not since... I think I was thirteen and I was challenging the battle frontier. I couldn't get a hold of her when I got back from Unova, and she was always gone when I came to visit while I was training for the Indigo League."

Dawn was taken aback. She never expected that _she_ had seen Misty more than he had. Granted, she knew that Ash had shut himself off from everyone the last four years; but prior to that, she thought that Ash would likely have hung out with Misty while he was in Kanto. She looked at him with a face of concern and bewilderment, "Did you ever get in contact with her since?"

"No... because... you know... I was being stupid and selfish and went off to perfect my battle style... at least until I found you again," Ash explained, a small smile gracing his face as he finished his statement.

"Aw, Ash, you're so sweet," Dawn cooed, bring herself up for a quick peck on the lips. She wrapped her arm around his waist, and he mirrored her action. She looked up at him with affection and playfully instructed, "Come on, let's walk there... together... AND SLOWLY!"

"Alright, alright..." Ash acquiesced.

Just as Dawn wanted, the two lovers walked downwards to Cerulean City. It had changed some in the years since Ash had last been there. Though he didn't remember all of it, having made a straight run to the gym on his first visit, he noticed a greater variety of stores and restaurants. Cerulean had grown quite a bit in his ten year absence, and from the looks of it, had become quite the tourist trap. The streets were packed, and now being the heat of August, the city was absolutely bustling with activity.

"It's been so long since I last been here!" Dawn gushed, "I need to check out all these new stores!"

"Hopefully not all... there's a ton of them!" Ash tried to act as the voice of reason, a role he rarely played.

"But look! All those clothing stores! Those restaurants look pretty ritzy! And hey, you'll like that PokéMart!" Dawn continued to admire all the surrounding sights, pointing to each one in succession.

"Let's get to the Pokémon Center first. I want to make sure my team is in tip-top shape before I go and battle Misty!" Ash exclaimed, himself growing excited at the prospect of a battle, especially with the fiery redhead.

"Yeah! That'll be great too! Then we can go shopping! Misty can come too!" Dawn yelled, loud enough in fact that some onlookers began to gawk at the noisy young woman.

They beat a hasty retreat when they realized that they had become the center of attention, making a quick detour to the Pokémon Center. The Nurse Joy there did a quick examination, informing the two of them that both their teams were in perfect health already and cleared them to leave. It wasn't long after that they arrived at the doors of the Cerulean Gym. It seemed to have been improved since their last visit, though most of the outward features remained the same, especially the giant Dewgong sign plastered to the face of the gym.

"Great! Let's go in!" Ash, in his enthusiasm nearly burst into the doors, when Dawn gripped the back of his collar and stopped him.

"Manners, Ash!" Dawn scolded, her tone turned sweet as she finished, "Let's knock!"

Dawn did just that. In the meantime, however, Ash remarked, "That's a nice fountain over there... I wonder when they built that." He was looking over at the seemingly new fountain in the middle of the plaza that separated the commercial district of Cerulean from the Gym itself. It was quite elaborate, probably something to commemorate the gym, as it was a spectacular stone carving of several water Pokémon, the most prominent of which was Gyarados, all seemingly emerging from the basin with the water spouts simulating the splash from the depicted event. It was quite a sight to behold. It was, of course, at this exact moment that one of Ash's most impulsive Pokémon decided to emerge from his pokéball unannounced.

"DEWOTT!"

"Hey Dewott, what are you-," Ash's unfinished question was answered as Dewott excitedly dashed over to the fountain and began playing in it. He began to float around in the basin, even going as far as mimicking the fountain's function by spraying a mockingly small stream of water above his head as he lazily drifted.

"Ugh! Dewott, come on! That's not for playing in!" Ash lectured dejectedly, running from the doorway to retrieve his mischievous sea otter. His species may have been known as the 'Discipline Pokémon' but this one was anything but. Dawn giggled until she heard the door open behind her.

"Dawn?"

The blunette spun around at the mention of her name. Before her stood the twenty-three year-old Misty. The redhead had changed quite a bit since she and Ash had last seen each other. She had grown into a tall, and quite shapely woman. She wore a yellow shirt that clung to her curves very well, accentuating her bust which outdid Dawn's; showing only a small portion of midriff. She wore red shorts that showed off her fabulous hips quite nicely, and though she had a small rear, her shorts did not do it any disservice. Her hair had grown out down her shoulders in full, wavy locks; giving her the visage of a fiery mane that matched her determined face. Her face had not changed much in the years: same small cute mouth, same piercing sea-green eyes, same strong angular features, capped by her lovely cream coloured skin. Her legs were long, and muscular, matching her arms and giving evidence of her still strict swimming regiment. Today she wore cute blue sandals which showed off her dainty feet.

Dawn's smile widened as she practically tackled Misty in a hug that nearly threatened to topple them both.

"Misty! It's been too long!"

The flustered redhead let out a small laugh through the surprisingly tight hug and returned the gesture. She responded kindly, "It has been. How long is it... a year?"

"Year and a half," Dawn corrected, letting Misty out of her embrace, which in turn allowed Misty to breathe.

"So... I didn't expect you... are May and Iris with you again? I'd love to have another girls' night!" Misty inquired, growing a bit excited at the prospect.

"No, no, no! It's just me and... wait where did he go?" Dawn began to explain, but trailed off as she began looking at the fountain and the surrounding area.

"You brought a boy? Which one! Kenny? Barry? Oh... not that Paul guy. The way you describe him he sounds like a sourpuss," Misty rambled in amusement.

Dawn wasn't even listening now. She ran out into the plaza and began frantically searching. Neither Ash nor Dewott were anywhere in sight.

"Return!" a loud, deep male voice rang out in the distance.

Misty's face twitched momentarily. That voice reminded her of someone. The bold power, the inflection, the enthusiasm was all familiar. The only thing that kept her from recognizing it was the pitch. She couldn't place it yet, but it evoked a strange feeling of familiarity, and other feelings she had sealed away for a long time. She didn't understand why 'those' feelings were welling up now.

"Come on! We've got a battle to get to! You can play later! I promise!"

There it was again. That voice. It almost shook Misty to her core.

_It's not... it couldn't be..._

"Hey get back here! Don't get water everywhere!"

_No no no no no no no! __Please don't be him! Please don't be him!_

And yet, her expectations were simultaneously shattered and met all at once as raven haired young man in a red and white cap dashed across her field of vision, between the two girls and the fountain, whilst chasing a blue otter-like Pokémon who was playfully squirting blasts of water back at his trainer. From a distance - she was baffled she didn't see him earlier - a small and clearly amused yellow mouse Pokémon watched from a distance. Ash's water-type broke down laughing as the last hit caused Ash to stumble and slip on a puddle as he rounded the side of the fountain. The result, of course, was Ash taking an impromptu bath in the fountain as he had earlier scolded Dewott for in the first place.

"Well, at least I'm beating the heat now..." Ash muttered in annoyance, taking advantage of Dewott's halted movement to finally return him to his pokéball. Dawn went to his aid and pulled him from the watery monument.

Misty just continued to stare, stunned at this sudden appearance of the boy – now turned man – from her past. Her mind was racing with all sorts of different thoughts. She wasn't sure what to settle on. It was as she was trying to organizing her thoughts out that she realized the two visitors were standing right in front of her.

"Hey Misty! Long time!" as a half-way soaked Ash hugged her. He noticed he was only slightly shorter than her now. This gave Ash some relief, as he was tired of being so far behind her in regards to height.

Though she couldn't decide how to react based solely on his reappearance, his gesture clinched how she would respond, "Hey! Don't hug me! You'll get my clothes drenched!" She pushed him off playfully.

He rubbed the back of his head again, and nervously replied, "Oh right, sorry! Guess I'm just excited to see you after all this time."

That made the weight on her shoulders lift slightly. At least she was glad that he didn't hate her for not seeing him for such a long time. It had been ten years since they had seen each other in person, and almost seven since their last phone call. Still, though she hid it well, she was not overly excited to see him.

"It's fine. Would you like to come in?" she offered, trying to break the silence that had ensued after she had failed to answer his apology immediately as she had once again become wrapped in her own thoughts.

"That'd be great, thanks!" Dawn piped up perkily. At Dawn's re-emergence into the conversation, Misty felt a bit more comfortable.

"Pikachupi!" Ash's partner squeaked from Misty's feet.

"Aw, hey Pikachu! How have you been?" Misty replied sweetly, picking up Ash's starter. Pikachu called his own name again and bounded from her arms to her shoulder like he would if it were Ash's.

She led them inside, past the reception desk, and through a branched hallway, one leading to the pool and gym battle area, a second hall leading to the lower levels and aquarium, and the third to the living quarters. She told Piplup and Pikachu that they could go play with the other Pokémon in the pool area if they'd like. The two partner Pokémon agreed, and scampered away to join old friends as Misty took the trainers to the living quarters portion of the gym complex. She invited them to sit in the living room as she prepared to make her guests feel at home.

"Can I offer you two anything to eat or drink?" Misty offered politely.

"Something cold! It's so warm out today," Dawn remarked, fanning herself with her hand.

Ash had quite the opposite view, still not quite dry from his encounter with the fountain, "Orange juice, please."

Misty nodded and went into the adjoining kitchen. Once she was out of sight of the two of them, she slumped back against the fridge, and took a deep breath. She was honestly not sure how long she would be able to maintain this appearance around the two of them. She just wanted to shut herself in her room and think. But she wanted to be a gracious host too.

_Damn it Dawn... some warning would've been nice,_ she cursed in her head. But she mentally corrected herself, _it's not her fault... she doesn't know... only Brock knows..._

She realized that she was taking far longer than usual to get drinks than most people would so she quickly opened the fridge she was formerly leaning on, grabbed Ash's orange juice and some iced tea for Dawn. She poured both quickly into tall glasses, giving Dawn's some extra ice, and returned to the living room to offer them to her guests.

"Here you are," Misty announced as both her guests' faces grew into smiles as they were given their beverages.

"Thanks," they said at almost exactly the same time. They shot each other a look and then started laughing lightly at their near identical timing. Misty gave a perplexed look, but dismissed the occurrence and reaction.

"So Misty? How's the gym?" Dawn asked, starting the conversation after taking a sip of her drink.

"It's the same as before, got a lot of rookie trainers come by to try and beat me. Occasionally I get a really good one come by and give me an actual challenge, but otherwise, it's been pretty stale lately. I win about nine out of ten matches," Misty elucidated.

"That's pretty good," Ash complimented, having just finished a long swig of his juice.

"Thanks, Ash," clearly pleased with the praise. She knew he was a good trainer, and any compliment from him was always welcome. But her mood soured as her mind just raced back to the fact that she had kept herself from such praise by virtue of not seeing him or talking to him for so long.

"How have you two been?" Misty questioned. Though she kept her face cheerful and casual, she was quite curious about Ash. She realized that four years ago he stopped trying to contact her, and she had in fact heard that he cut off all ties to people and went travelling alone.

Dawn and Ash exchanged yet another odd look before Dawn decided to answer first, "Oh! It's been great. I took some time off from contests, did some fashion consulting, but now I'm back on the circuit here in Kanto, travelling with Ash as he trains and re-challenges gyms."

"Oh you should have told me that you were back in Kanto! I would've cleaned up a bit better!" Misty gestured to the room, her tone thick with embarrassment. It wasn't messy by any means, but it wasn't the epitome of clean either.

"Oh, no need to worry," Dawn chirped, "I wanted to surprise you anyway! Besides, I've seen Ash's room when he lives in it. No comparison." She laughed and Misty joined her.

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad..." Ash protested.

"I can see why you pack light when you travel, Ash," Dawn mocked, "Otherwise our campsites would look like disaster areas."

"Hmph..."

"So you two are traveling together?" Misty probed.

"Oh yeah! It's been a blast!" Dawn informed her excitedly.

"When did this happen? Last I heard, he was traveling alone," Misty continued her line of questions, trying her best to sound casual, though she was quite interested in the answers.

"About eight months ago," Dawn recounted, "He just showed up at my house in the dead of winter to visit, and we..." she paused to find the right word that wouldn't insinuate their current relationship, "just kinda agreed to travel together."

"What prompted that?" Misty asked, her voice starting to grow curious now. She realized it and wished she hadn't asked.

However Dawn either didn't notice or didn't mind and went on, "Oh, I really wanted to get back out there! And Ash seemed so lonely out there." The latter sentence of her explanation was thick with a teasing tone, which Ash scoffed at. Though truly, Ash knew she was right, he hid the acknowledgement of her accuracy both for the purpose of hiding their relationship and for his pride.

This little jab by Dawn elicited a giggle from both the girls, temporarily distracting Misty from her line of questions. Ash took the gap and asked a question of his own, "So how are your Pokémon?"

_Typical Ash, still obsessed with every to do with Pokémon_, Misty thought to herself nostalgically. She almost shook her head at herself, _Dang it, Misty. Stop getting lost in memories and be part of the conversation._

"They're doing well. They get plenty of practice, with being a gym leader's Pokémon and all. But I have plenty of them, all strong, so each gets their downtime as well!" Misty explained methodically.

"Great! That means you can battle then!" Ash grew more excited by the second.

"Ash! Let's take some time to catch up before you go all hot-headed into a battle with her! We've had a long day after all!" Dawn pleaded with him.

Misty supported Dawn's assessment, saying "Yeah, I've actually had quite a few gym battles today actually, and it's almost time to close, so I wouldn't mind putting it off until tomorrow. Is that ok?"

Were this a younger Ash, he might've been more belligerent about waiting for a gym battle. However, Ash had in fact matured some in the years and had learned at least some patience. Despite his fierce determination to battle Misty again after all those years, he decided that one night wouldn't make a whole lot of difference. He replied with kind sincerity, "Of course, whenever it's good for you, Misty."

Misty was taken aback by this display of maturity. Her facade almost broke then and there, but she kept a polite face on. _Maybe there is hope for you after all Ketchum..._

"How long until you close?" Dawn interjected.

"Half an hour," Misty informed the blunette.

"Great! We can go shopping!" Dawn cheered.

"That sounds fun!" Misty agreed, "Haven't been in a shopping spree since... well, the last time you were here!"

Ash shot Dawn a look of confusion and quizzically asked, "Wait, when were you here? You never told me about that."

"Oh! I never told you! How forgetful of me!" Dawn smiled cheekily at her absent-mindedness, "I came to do Kanto contests the first year you left. I was quite disappointed to find you were gone, but May was doing them too so we met up and she introduced me to Misty, and we had a great time!" Ash was going to try and apologize, but Dawn continued unaware of Ash's attempt, "We liked it so much, that we decided to make it a yearly thing. Since Misty has a hard time leaving the gym, we decided to come here to Cerulean in the contest off-season. The next year, I even got Iris to come too, and it was a real party! We did it every year until this year, when May couldn't make it because she made plans with Drew, and I started travelling with you again. But ever since that first time we met, we've been in frequent contact. We're real best friends aren't we!" Dawn was practically giddy by the end of her speech, even grabbing Misty by wrapping one of her arms around Misty and standing shoulder to shoulder.

"Right!" Misty replied enthusiastically, flashing the peace sign towards Ash, who could do nothing but sit in stunned silence.

"Huh... well that's great news!" Ash finally managed to speak. He was shocked, but ultimately pleased, since he was always glad to have his friends be friends with one another. He was still trying to digest that condensed four year history that Dawn threw at him though.

"Isn't it!" Dawn squealed. She continued to lay out the exploits of the girls outings over the past years, with Misty either giddily agreeing, or vehemently denying various events. She continued until Misty pointed out that it was past time to close the gym and that she had to attend to it for a few minutes.

As the two were left alone, Ash turned to Dawn and said, "Well, I'm glad you two bonded. You seem to have a lot of fun together."

"Yeah! She's a great person. It's no wonder you and her traveled for so long together," Dawn admitted.

"Did you guys talk about that?" Ash pressed.

"We all did..." she paused and thought for a second, "Well, May certainly did, and so did I, and Iris kept giving examples of why you were such a little kid, but now that I think about it, Misty really didn't say much about you at all."

"Really?" Ash asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah, a lot of our conversations centered on you, but she often managed to steer them away to a different topic, or just kinda shifted into the background during those parts," Dawn clarified.

Ash's face shifted uncomfortably. Between never getting see her when he visited or her always being busy or out when he called, or never getting a call back, he was growing suspicious of Misty. Did she not like him anymore? She seemed pleasant enough with him here now, but was that just for show in front of Dawn. The two were clearly great friends now.

"Ash... you're thinking about something hard again..." Dawn teased.

"Huh..." Ash suddenly remembered their conversation on the hill the morning after his and her first time. How she said he wrinkled his forehead when he was deep in thought. His mind was awash in layers of doubts and fears the subject brought up and his face grew worrisome, "Oh yeah... just... I'm not sure if Misty likes me anymore."

"What?" Dawn blurted out loudly.

"Dawn is everything ok over there?"

Dawn and Ash froze. Misty's distant voice and echoing footsteps down the hallway were heard fast approaching.

"Yes!" Dawn shouted back quickly. Dawn put her mouth to Ash's ear, and whispered in a hushed yet frantic tone, "No need to worry, I'm sure she's still your friend... but if it will make you feel better, I'll talk about it when we go shopping. You can go... do whatever you like. This will need to be private if I want her to open up to me about it."

Ash merely nodded as Dawn quickly withdrew back to her couch. Misty walked in not a second later, a relieved smile on her face. "Well, are we going shopping then?" she asked, smirking at Ash.

"It's just us, Misty," Dawn told her, throwing Ash a glance, "He needs to go to the Pokémon Center anyways to book our room."

"Psh! No friends of mine staying at a filthy Pokémon Center, you two can have one of my sisters' rooms each," Misty offered as though it were already a given.

"Oh that's so awesome of you! Thanks!" Dawn hopped with excitement from her seat and ran towards Misty, tugging her hand. She passed Ash her backpack and instructed him, "Take this upstairs for me would you! I'll see you when we get back!"

"Try not to burn the place down while we're gone, Ash..." Misty requested, her tone thick with sarcasm.

"It's a water gym... kinda hard to burn down Misty," Ash retorted.

"You always manage the impossible," Misty got her final jab in before Dawn almost forced her beyond the threshold of the gym door.

As asked, Ash took Dawn's backpack and placed on the bed of the room whose door was labelled 'Daisy'. It was a girly room, as expected, with yellow being the overall tone with touches of frilly pink and baby blue abound. He looked at the other two rooms available. Lily's room was a mass of hot-pink, causing him to shudder in revulsion. He settled on Violet's room, which was a more gender neutral blue, though it was still filled to the brim with excessively girly objects. He knew he would have to just ignore it. After all, it was better than a room at the Pokémon Center.

That thought reminded him of something he did need to do though. He quickly exited the gym after leaving his backpack in his new temporary room and strode down the street opposite the gym towards a large building with a prominent red letter 'P' overhead. Inside a Nurse Joy stood at her post behind a counter, and a phone booth with a pokéball teleporter next to it. He dialed a number and put the receiver to his ear as he waited for the screen to buzz to life.

"Ash, my boy! Good to see you! I suppose you are calling to exchange Pokémon once again?" The familiar voice of Professor Oak rang in his ear, and a smile came to his face.

"Good to see you too, Professor. I have two in mind I would like to have sent to me."

"Great, tell me which ones," Oak asked, bringing up a computer screen to his left.

* * *

Partway across town, the two girls were laughing as they carried bags of clothes and other fruits of their shopping expedition.

"I can't believe someone would send a Charmander against your Gyarados? Cocky much?" Dawn burst between laughs.

Misty replied once her own laughter died down, "Yeah... I mean... I know I shouldn't always judge by types, but this trainer was clearly new, and he had a head bigger than Ketchum when he started out."

Another flurry of giggles escaped Dawn and its contagious nature infected Misty as well, who joined her yet again. At the end of her fit Dawn began to think to herself, _Ok, I got her to actually mention Ash. Maybe I can get her to talk about it now_.

"It must be great to finally see Ash after all these years right?" Dawn posed her question, trying to be careful not seem like she was prying.

Misty's smile faded somewhat, but she still seemed content and replied, "Yeah, it's been a while. He's a good person; we should've talked more often."

Dawn noticed that she said 'we' as opposed to 'he', causing her to realize that Ash's suspicions may have been credible after all.

"Well... what happened? Did you try to contact him when he went all... loner... on us?" Dawn continued her method of neutral phrased interrogation.

Misty fumbled with her words, trying to find out the right way to form her answer, "Well... I... um... I didn't really try..."

Dawn was a tad confused by this answer. By all accounts, based on what Ash told her during their first journey together, Ash and Misty had kept semi-regular contact. She leaned into it a bit more, "Oh... so did you know he was going to cut himself off before he actually did?"

Misty was surprised by the pointed nature of the question. She realized that Dawn assumed that she and Ash had communicated regularly. She really didn't want to confess her rather selfish reasons to Dawn, but didn't want to lie either. To lie would mean that she would have known Ash was going on that absurd four year journey alone, and had warned no one. To tell the truth would mean that she would reveal her most treasured and painful secret; one that she had tried to suppress to the point of crushing its very existence. At this point, she just didn't want to damage her friendship with Dawn, so she decided the truth would be the better option.

"No... I stopped talking to him when we both about fifteen," Misty reluctantly admitted.

"That's odd... w-?" Dawn began to make the final inquiry when Misty stopped and put her hand on Dawn's shoulder.

Speaking slowly and deliberately, "Dawn... you're my best friend. You're my confidante, and you've been one of my biggest pillars of support... despite having only known you for four years. You're even privy to a few things that I haven't even told Brock, and I've known him almost as long as... Ash" Misty paused and took a deep breath, "But in this... I just can't talk about it. Can we just leave that matter alone?"

"Of course... just answer me one thing. It's not what you think, I swear," Dawn quietly requested, mustering up as much kindness and feeling in her words as she could.

Misty nodded and Dawn proceeded, "Do you still consider Ash your friend."

A small smile crossed Misty's lips and she said almost in a whisper, "Of course."

A similar smile crept up on Dawn's lips and she hugged Misty. Misty bent down some to accommodate the much shorter girl. Dawn whispered to her, "I won't bother you about this anymore, I just wanted to know that one thing."

Misty gave a small sound from atop their hug and whispered, "Thanks."

* * *

Ash groaned as he prepared himself for bed later that night. Mature as he was, he was still a man, and the idea of having to sleep in purple floral print sheets was not entirely appealing to him. He thought about asking for a different set for him to sleep in, but realized that in a house full of women as girly as Misty's sisters, there probably wouldn't be anything to suit his own tastes. So he just decided to suck it up and sleep in what he appreciatively found to be a very comfortable bed. Considering that the Pokémon Center's beds were almost as hard as rocks, with broken springs pressing into his back more often than not, this was certainly a step up.

He was about to climb in and retire for the night when a very light knock came at his door. Despite only wearing his boxers and a tee-shirt, he answered the door, expecting to find Misty there wish him a good night of some sort. Instead he found Dawn in her thin pink nightgown.

"Dawn? Wh-," Ash began to ask before Dawn put a finger to his lips and slipped into the room almost surreptitiously. She pressed the door shut behind her with lithe grace and quickly pressed her lips to his in a deep kiss that surprised and excited him. He quickly returned it and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. He could almost feel the skin beneath the gown she wore, and it began stoke the fire deep within him.

She withdrew her mouth from his and sultrily whispered to him, "I hate pretending we aren't together... I just want to kiss you all the time."

Ash dove in for another kiss, to which she eagerly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. As if by instinct, one of her legs began to snake around his own as well. Feeling this, Ash lowered his hands to the base of her sumptuous rear and lifted her up, causing her to gasp in shock and pleasure. She had to restrain herself from doing so loudly. She didn't want to alarm Misty after all.

Ash finally took a moment to reply, almost sad at wrenching his lips from hers, "You know I hate going without your touch for so long... but even I think this is a bit naughty. We aren't going to do this in Misty's house? Are we?" Ash grew more and more uncertain of her intentions and his own as he carried her to his bed. He pushed himself on top of her, feeling her every curve beneath her silky gown. He couldn't help himself at this point. Her body was magic to him. He planted kisses along her neck, descending to the open 'v' of her coverings.

Dawn sighed in pleasure, but there was a tint of disappointment in the sound as well, "No... I would love to do that... but that would be rude. I just want to feel your body on mine. Share your heat, gah!" She drew a breath in sharply as Ash peeled open the gown and licked her exposed nipple. Ash was making it hard to refuse, but she knew that she was rather loud when they made love. She didn't want Misty to know that she and Ash were doing such dirty things in her sister's bed. She was her best friend. It wouldn't be right.

"I know... you want..." she panted as Ash continued to work between her two hardened buds on her chest, "but... not in Misty's house. I just want to cuddle with you. I want to be able to touch you before I go to sleep, like we have every night since."

Ash groaned, giving a final lick to her right nipple before returning to Dawn's mouth for another passionate kiss. He was disappointed, but Dawn understood since she was as well.

"At least let me finishing undressing you... I promise I won't do anything, but I need to see you and feel your... everything," Ash rumbled needfully, nuzzling against her shoulder.

"Only if you let me do the same," Dawn whispered teasingly. Ash nodded and the blunette splayed herself on the bed before him. He gingerly undid the lacy belt tied around her waist, bringing him that much closer to unveiling the heated woman beneath him. He parted the fabric to reveal her only undergarment, a pair of white panties. He drew himself back, and pulled the panties down, giving himself a front-row seat to the view he loved so much. Her pretty pink folds sat there between her legs, almost tempting him to break the agreement he made seconds ago.

She pulled herself up after allowing him to admire her womanhood for a few moments, and quickly pulled his shirt over his arms. She slid her hands down his toned torso before pulling him back onto the bed. She pulled away his boxers to reveal his quite eager member.

"Someone's excited," Dawn teased, though she was quite tempted to forget the agreement as well and begin stroking him.

"With a blue-haired goddess like you beside me... what did you expect," Ash countered, a smirk growing over his features. He saw how she stared at him, just as he did her.

The two of them pulled themselves under the covers, pulling each other close. They were touching almost everywhere, all except in two places where they wanted it the most. Regardless, the skin contact was both comforting and exciting all at once. Despite their mutual restraint, they were quite happy merely looking into each other's eyes and holding one another tightly. Their intense heat flowed back and forth between them, and they couldn't imagine a more perfect form of intimacy under the circumstances.

Dawn exhaled deeply and spoke to Ash in an amorous voice, "I wish we could stay like this forever. I wish we didn't have to keep pretending we aren't together around others."

Ash's chest tightened somewhat. He knew this was his fault. Despite his intense love for Dawn, he didn't know what everyone he knew would think. Naturally, his mom was ecstatic, but that likely because she was worried Ash would never get a girl after all the years he seemed completely oblivious to them. Brock seemed to be happy enough for them, though he couldn't help but notice his older brother figure had a slight edge, as though he knew something the couple didn't. Ash didn't know the reason for it, but he didn't bring it up. Ash was also concerned with what people would think of him dating someone four years younger than him. More importantly though, was that he was unsure how people would think of him trying to pursue a relationship at the same as he tried to attain his goal of becoming a Pokémon master. Many thought his goal was already unrealistic enough, but adding a relationship to that was a balancing act few would be able to handle. Would they have to stop traveling together eventually to reach their own mutual goals? Would they have to break up?

The thought itself terrified Ash, and perhaps it was of some comfort that no one knowing about it meant that no one could judge or criticize. Yet he hated making Dawn keep it a secret.

"I'm... sorry Dawn. I shouldn't be making you do that."

"It's ok, I agreed-,"

"No it's not," his voice growing a bit serious now, "It's selfish. I know how much you want to tell people. You've only been able to tell your mother, though frankly it didn't surprise her. And you know what. It's been about three months now." His voice grew softer again, "Maybe we should start telling people. It's a sign that our relationship is strong, and we can handle whatever judgements people throw at us."

Dawn's eyes gleamed with love and appreciation and she gave Ash a delicate, chaste kiss. She smiled and told him, "Ash... you really are grown up aren't you."

"Yeah, who would've thought," Ash rolled his eyes as the sarcasm dripped from his mouth.

Dawn giggled and pulled her head to his. They could feel their breath on each other's faces, and they loved it.

"Oh I found something out today," Dawn informed her lover, "Remember you were concerned about Misty not liking you anymore."

"Yeah... I'm not sure she was my friend since I was never able to talk to her or see her," Ash moped, his cheery demeanour fading at the new topic.

"Well, she wouldn't tell me everything, like why she wouldn't take your calls and whatnot, but she did tell me one thing," Dawn paused as Ash opened his eyes to look at her, seeing a face of hope, "She's still your friend, and certainly seems to care about you."

An expression of relief spread itself over his face, "Great. Thanks for telling me. That's so good to hear. She's my oldest friend, and I would've hated to lose that."

"I'm glad too. We both have a best friend in the same person!" Dawn cheered quietly, tightening her grip on Ash. He reciprocated, pulling her closer to him, causing more skin to touch, and giving them greater affection for one another.

"Love you, Ash," Dawn sang sweetly as she began to drift asleep.

"Love you too... my Northern Light," Ash spoke dreamily.

Dawn let out a small chuckle, "That's sweet... I like that. Say it again."

"My Northern Light," Ash reiterated gently, kissing her again before dozing off.

_He's so thoughtful, and so courageous. He's actually going to let me tell people about us. I know it's scary admitting to the world that we're together. But don't worry, my sweet Ash, no matter what they say, we'll always love each other._

Such were Dawn's last conscious thoughts as she finally allowed sleep to take her for that night, cuddled against the warm, strong body of the man who was the champion of her heart.


	6. Chapter 6: The Mermaid Versus the Master

**Chapter 6 – The Mermaid Versus The Master**

"So Ash... are you ready to earn the Cascade Badge for real this time?" Misty taunted from across the pool.

"Oh you bet! And this time, there aren't going to be any interruptions!" Ash claimed from the challenger's end, his arm cocked back ready to grasp his first pokéball.

It was the next morning, and Misty decided that the first match of the day as Gym Leader would be the one put forth by Ash the previous evening. After eating a hearty breakfast prepared at the surprisingly talented hands of Misty, who had seemingly come a long way since she cooked that travesty of a soup in Johto, they went to the pool battle area where the trio met up with their various Pokémon. Ash noted the water field had been improved considerably since his last appearance. It now less resembled an Olympic pool, and now seemed like an actual battlefield. There was a single, sandy isle in the very center, with a few floating platforms interspersed throughout the pool. Of course, the bottom of the pool seemed more like the ocean floor than anything else.

"Dawn can referee for us!" Misty pointed to the blunette with gusto, then turned back to Ash with fire in her eyes, "I'll leave it to you to decide how many Pokémon you'd like to battle with," Misty offered, her tone flowing with insincere generosity.

As Dawn skipped to her spot on the side of the length of the pool with Piplup who waddled after her, Ash shot back, "Well... I'd like to go with my number one buddy..." he glanced at Pikachu, who immediately crossed his arms and made a face that clearly said 'no' with his head shaking back and forth, "but since I knew he'd never want to battle you, I have three others in mind."

"Great, that means that Pikachu has good sensibilities... unlike a certain aspiring Pokémon Master I know," Misty continued to tease Ash.

Ash however, was not to not giving into the clear attempts to unnerve him. After the finals in the last tournament in Sinnoh, he had worked very hard to keep his concentration on the match and not to be distracted by such attempts to get in his head. Of course he knew this was Misty, and she really didn't mean any of it. He just smirked and declared, "Since I'm here in a Water Gym, fighting someone who herself claims she wants to be a Water Pokémon Master... maybe I ought to show her how real water types fight. All three Pokémon I will use will be just that."

Misty's eyes narrowed, knowing that Ash was challenging her on equal ground. He wanted to beat her without any sort of advantage. Water versus water. Her kind of battle. Not since the Whirl Cup had they fought such a battle. She had won last time, yet she was still eager to see how far he'd come using water types.

"Sounds good, I like that idea! Let's do this!" Misty raised her hand and pointed to Dawn who blinked momentarily. Misty momentarily dumbfounded by her silence prompted her, "Uh... Dawn... you're officiating... you need to declare the match."

Dawn, who had been staring at the opposite wall, thinking while the two had been making quips at one another, was pulled from her distracted state of mind and began speaking in the official tone she could muster, "Oh! Right! This is an official gym battle between the Challenger Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Gym Leader Misty of the Cerulean Gym. Each trainer will use...uh," Dawn having spaced out, didn't know what the match parameters were, "Uh, what did you guys agree to?"

Misty nearly fell over in shock, "Dawn! It's three on three, substitutions allowed!"

"Right!" Dawn chirped, returning to her speech, "Each trainer will use three Pokémon, with substitutions allowed. The first to have all three knocked out is the winner." She raised both her hands and then brought them down in opposite directions, "Begin!"

Each of the two trainers grabbed their first pokéballs from their belts and threw them forth, calling out their respective first Pokémon simultaneously.

"I choose you, Dewott!"

"Politoed, Go!"

The sea otter, Dewott, drummed his belly as he barked his name in pride after materializing. Meanwhile, the green frog merely began clapping in exuberance on its appearance.

"Wow! A Dewott... I haven't seen one of those in person until now!" Misty gushed. Even full grown, the woman couldn't help herself at the sight of cute water Pokémon. Dewott merely put his hands at his side and puffed out his chest as his ego inflated.

An annoyed squeak came from the side of the pool near Dawn. A steely eyed Piplup locked eyes with his old rival, the former Oshawott with whom he competed for the love of Meloetta. Recognizing the call from his former competitor, Dewott shifted his gaze towards the small blue penguin. The otter smirked, tapping one of his scalchops and issuing a challenging retort in his own language. Piplup merely crossed his arms in expectance. The penguin was keen on watching the match to see how his rival had changed in the years since they had seen each other. Dewott took note and moved his stare back to the green frog that was now his immediate opponent.

While Dawn chuckled at this little rivalry revival, Ash failed to notice; instead choosing to size up Misty's Pokémon. It certainly appeared as though Misty had raised it well, though he expected no less from her. "Politoed is looking pretty strong Misty. Let's see just how strong! Dewott, razor shell!" Ash shouted. Dewott leapt from his platform on the waves, and began swimming at an incredible clip to reach his opponent. In his hands, its scalchops were held tightly, ready for use.

"Bubblebeam before it reaches you!" Misty ordered suddenly.

Politoed gave a final clap then, opened its mouth wide, spraying a thick stream of high velocity bubbles at its quickly approaching foe.

"Dive and come from beneath!" Dewott heeded his trainer's order and did so, making a parabolic arc beneath the waves from the point of his dive back to the platform on the surface. His scalchops blazed with energy at the last second as Dewott burst from the water behind Politoed.

"Bounce!"

Misty's command was executed immediately as the jolly frog quickly tensed its legs and bounded skywards, much to the awe of both Ash and Dawn. Both of them had witnessed Dawn's Lopunny make many graceful bounce attacks, but this was executed with a kind of speed neither had ever witnessed before. Just as quickly, Politoed came back downward with his feet prepared for a devastating landing atop the airborne Dewott.

"Intercept with hydro pump!" Ash countered.

A torrent poured from Dewott's mouth, which deflected the frog's trajectory. However, this was all it did. Politoed landed nonchalantly on the sandy island in the middle of the field and began clapping even faster, almost as though it enjoyed the attack.

"I hate to burst your bubble, Ash..." Misty ridiculed playfully, "but Politoed's ability is water absorb. Meaning your water moves not only have no effect... they heal Politoed."

"Damn, how stupid of me to forget..." Ash quietly scolded himself. Misty still managed to hear across the pool, and it caused her to raise one eyebrow. She hadn't known Ash to be so self-critical of himself. Normally he would just shout back at her with some retort to protect his pride, but now he accepted input rather than just shoving it aside.

"Fine then, we have other moves! Blizzard!" Ash yelled, taking the initiative.

Dewott took another deep breath and a mighty storm of ice and snow propelled by a strong wind pressed forth, chilling Politoed and causing its clapping to slow down noticeably.

Misty's face tensed, it was a wide-spread attack, and hard to avoid. Thankfully she had the solution, "Bounce again!"

"Aim it up when you see it coming down!" Ash adjusted his previous command. Dewott complied, ceasing blizzard and looking up for his opponent, waiting for it to begin its descent. Ash saw it begin falling and called, "Now!"

"Hypnosis!"

Ash gasped at the order, and was about to call out one to counter it, but Misty's command had been delayed perfectly long enough such that there was not enough time before the psionic waves washed over Dewott, putting him to sleep. Worse yet, Politoed finished its fall, crashing onto Dewott, who cringed painfully in his sleep.

"Come on, Dewott! You can get out of this! Wake up!" Ash pleaded to his slumbering otter.

"Allow me!" Misty called, her face smirking at the scent of victory, "Wake-up slap!"

One of Politoed's hands glowed white and was whipped across the face of its napping opponent. Dewott eyes snapped open as he careened across the field, finally landing on the pool's edge beside Ash. Dewott croaked his name slowly and slumped down.

Dawn looked as surprised as Ash when she saw the combination before realizing that she had to call it out, "Dewott is unable to battle! Politoed is the winner."

Misty pumped her fist in the air while Politoed continued to clap vibrantly, its pleasant smile having returned on its victory. Ash knelt down beside his fallen water-type and complimented it, "You did well, that Pokémon has been with her for a very long time, and she knows more about water types than I'll ever know. Take a good rest."

Misty watched and heard most of Ash's words from the other side of the field due to the echoing nature of the large room. She was glad to know that Ash still was kind to his Pokémon, no matter how they performed, though she honestly never doubted that would ever change. Dawn gazed at him with the same admiration as he returned his sea otter and pulled out his second pokéball.

"This one will be familiar to you, Misty. It's someone who you and I fought over long ago. I choose you!"

The thrown pokéball quickly unleashed a swath of energy that coalesced on the sandy island, revealing a large blue Pokémon with a yellow underbelly and red spines along its head and back. It seemed to dance on the spot, bouncing up and down like it was at a party.

"F-f-f-f-f-fer-feraligatr!" he chanted. The large reptilian gave one last stomp on the ground as it ended its jig. The water type eyed Misty momentarily then quickly jumped from the isle to a platform to yet another, until he finally landed beside her. Feraligatr grabbed both her hands and began to spin her around in a sort of gleeful dance.

Misty hugged it and fawned over the long lost friend, "I missed you too Totodile! Er, Feraligatr!" The Pokémon nodded happily, and Politoed merely walked up to it and began clapping even more excitedly than usual. The clapping further incited the Big Jaw Pokémon into yet another dance to the presumed beat that Misty's own contender created. Both Dawn and Ash could only gape at the scene.

"Oh this is clearly one of the most fun battles I've ever had!" Misty raved, watching the two have their own little party.

Ash coughed from his side of the pool and pointed out, "Well... it's not really a battle at the moment is it?"

"It's fun is what this is," Dawn squealed from her post at the poolside. Ash flashed her a look of annoyance, and she got the message. She returned to her 'best' officiating voice, "Will the challengers please take the field please."

Both Pokémon ceased their actions and looked at her confused, as though they didn't realize what exactly was going on. Misty nodded to them both and they acknowledged the order and returned; Politoed taking his former place on the platform closest to Misty while Feraligatr took his place on the sandy isle.

"Ok, I'll start this one!" Misty commanded, "Politoed, bubblebeam!" Once again, the frog opened its maw and shot a high speed set of bubbles at its opponent.

"Into the water to dodge!" Ash called out again. This time, Ash kept Feraligatr in the water, not wanting a repeat of last match.

"Fine, we can do this one in the depths! Pursue him Politoed!" Misty shouted eagerly. The frog eagerly dove in after another clap, swimming quickly and gracefully. Feraligatr approached with powerful strokes and whips of his large tail.

"Ice fang!" Ash ordered. Even beneath the water, Feraligatr heard, and his teeth began to chill the waters around it. Politoed continued on its trajectory straight into the mouth of the beast.

"Hypnosis!" Misty shouted, a sly grin crossing her face.

"Not this time! Create a whirlpool by using counter-shield with hydro pump underwater!" Ash instructed.

"Counter-shield?" Misty was stumped by the nature of the command.

"Counter-shield!" Dawn exclaimed at nearly the same time, excited by the revival of the technique they both developed.

Using his powerful limbs and tail, the crocodilian began spinning rapidly underwater, spewing water from his gaping maw all the while. The force quickly pulled the unsuspecting frog into the current where it was helplessly trapped. Soon a full-fledged whirlpool was formed in Misty's side of the pool.

"Now! Use Chip Away to keep at it until you knock it out!" Ash called with excitement.

With the whirlpool now quite intense, Feraligatr was free to stop churning the waters and allowed the vortex to carry the frog around and around. Ash's competitor began to mercilessly punch and bite it as Politoed was spun around, the crocodilian refusing to relent as the frog helplessly tried to fend off the countless attacks.

"No! Return!" Misty called quickly, trying to recall her green frog. Unfortunately, her beam kept missing its mark between the whirlpool moving it about and Feraligatr's attacks blocking line-of-sight.

"Now clinch it with ice fang!" Ash gave his final order. The Big Jaw Pokémon did just that, his teeth glowing bluish white. He clamped down on the frog as it came around for a pass as the whirlpool began to subside. Politoed called out in pain until at last it was released and flung back to Misty, floating on its back with not even the strength to give a final round of applause.

"Oh, poor Politoed, you did your best. Return," Misty spoke gently to it as it floated towards her. She knelt and pointed her pokéball, ensnaring the unconscious toad in a beam of red energy. Misty stood up after she took another ball from her belt. "That was a good trick Ash. I commend you on your ingenuity. Then again you were always a wiz when it came to strange strategies like that."

"Actually," Ash remarked, scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "It was kinda Dawn's technique. I just polished it and made variations."

Misty's gaze turned towards Dawn, a look of both surprise and impressed admiration on her face. She asked in a stunned tone, "You came up with that?"

"Uh, I guess sorta. Ash has always been able to put it to better use than I have," Dawn shuffled one her boots uncomfortably, looking down at the pool.

"That's amazing, both of you!" Misty complimented.

"Yeah... but I never dreamed of using it to make a whirlpool, I'll have to use that at the next Wallace Cup for sure!" Dawn squeaked, her eye glistening with inspiration.

"Well, this has been illuminating! But... I have to show you just how powerful I am, Ash!" Misty declared, turning her attention back to the match. Her eyes blazed with passion. She hadn't felt so alive in a battle in years. Day in and day out, rookie trainers came and lost to her. She always had to deal with grass or electric types, or the occasional newbie who thought they were 'all that' and used something as silly as a fire type. This was all out offensive with water types. And she loved it.

"You've met him once before Ash! In Hoenn. My most powerful water-type!" Misty announced, holding up her red and white sphere in triumph. She tossed it forth, and a large form materialized. It roared in defiance of its experienced opponent, sending shivers down the spine of Feraligatr.

Ash gulped, "Gyarados."

"Gyarados..." Dawn spoke in awe, almost trembling at the sight of it. It was larger than most she had seen. Larger than Crasher Wake's or any other he had seen in the wild.

Ash expression of worry morphed into a small smile. He could think only one thing, _Misty... you know how to have a battle. This is gonna be fun._

"Alright then, allow me to show you just how powerful I've become then!" Ash bellowed, "Feraligatr, Ice Fang!"

The reptile tensed his legs and then jumped forward from platform to platform once again, and pounced onto Gyarados and sank his cold fangs into the dual water-flying type. Ice began to form around the afflicted area, causing the behemoth to roar in pain and flail around madly.

"Hold onto it tight! Keep up the pressure!" Ash encouraged the reptilian.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" Misty shot back with equal determination, "Thunderbolt!"

"Break away! Onto the platform!"

Lightning arced between the points of the forked crest atop Gyarados' head. Soon after, the beast itself became charged and a bolt shot into the air. It only narrowly missed Feraligatr as he landed smoothly onto the rocking platform which was still shaking with the waves caused by Gyarados' tantrum. Feraligatr struggled to maintain its balance on the shaking platform.

"Again!" Misty cried, pointing at the crocodilian. Gyarados eagerly complied, shooting yet another bolt at the tumultuous platform on which Feraligatr stood.

As it approached, Ash saw the shaky stance of Feraligatr on the platform. He wouldn't be able to dodge reliably while unbalanced like that. At the same time, he couldn't go into the pool; not with the threat of a thunderbolt. He didn't know how to avoid the lightning. Then he realized he would just have to stop it.

"Rock tomb! On yourself!"

Both Dawn and Misty gasped at the order. Feraligatr did not doubt his trainer though. Perhaps he knew exactly what Ash was planning, though no one else knew. Either way, the crocodile summoned several large stones and protected himself within them, forming a small dome of misshapen boulders that offered a fortress-like defense. The lightning struck the stone barrier harmlessly.

"I swear, just when I think you can't possibly surprise me... there you go again," Misty commended Ash for his quick thinking, "But you've saved yourself from one attack to be made vulnerable to another! Flamethrower on the rocks!"

Ash's eyes bulged at the idea that his Feraligatr would be cooked momentarily within the rocks. The stones would save him for a while, but prolonged exposure to a flamethrower by an angry Gyarados would surely take its toll on the air inside. Yet he had nowhere to go.

Gyarados wasn't about to wait for Ash to think his way out of this one. He started heating the rocks. Already he could hear the outer layers sizzling. Feraligatr sat there, immobile and looking quite worried. He eagerly awaited a plan from Ash. He couldn't be recalled, the stones were in the way of the beam from the pokéball.

_I can't just fight my way out of this one... I need to play it smart._

_Or maybe I can fight my way out..._

"Use chip away to send those melting stones towards Gyarados! Make it a meteor shower!"

Feraligatr's eyes lit up in almost a joyous way. He certainly liked the sound of that. Using quick, yet powerful jabs, small boulders were ejected from his prison. Those that had been heated the most left a wake of blazing fire as they arced towards the sea serpent.

"Underwater quick! Dodge them!"

Gyarados didn't have to be told twice. The redhead's command was obeyed almost before she finished it. Gyarados snaked away beneath the waters as the rain of fire pelted the waters where it once sat.

"Use the time to get back to the island!" Ash directed. Feraligatr quickly hopped between platforms again to ensure he didn't fall prey to the submerged Atrocious Pokémon. He landed on the sandy isle and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Please! I've taken out hundreds of trainers using that island! You'll be no different!" Misty lectured, with Gyarados seemingly emerging on cue to reinforce that statement, "Now we return the favour! Use hydro pump to send it back into the water!"

"Dodge!"

Gyarados blasted holes into the island, filling the already small area with tidal pool sized patches of water as Feraligatr weaved between streams with agility that belied its size. However, it seemed that the very act of dodging would be Feraligatr's undoing. Soon only a small portion of the island remained dry. He had nowhere to run.

"Thunderbolt! Keep at it until you strike true!"

Gyarados proceeded to unleash a series of fast thunderbolts. Feraligatr hopped to the few, small remainders of sand in order to dodge the sinews of electricity that left black marks on the sand it struck. However, with his options limited, each dodge had to be more calculated, and thus slower. Soon, a bolt hit and Feraligatr was in for the shock of his life. Lightning continued to arc around him, even after the attack finished, and the reptile was unable to move very well.

"He's paralyzed!" Ash commented to himself in disappointment.

"One more time! No way you can miss! Hit it with a big shot this time!" Misty cheered.

Gyarados let out a mighty roar that shook the room, almost causing Dawn to fall over, as she happened to be nearby. The thunderbolt took longer to charge, and Ash took his last opportunity.

"Rock Tomb! On Gyarados!" Ash ordered, knowing full well that he had only one shot before he was going to be knocked out.

The rocks formed above Gyarados and crashed on onto the serpentine beast, but not before the powerful and thick bolt of lightning raced from the serpent to the crocodile. Both attacks hit and several things happened. First, Feraligatr, seemingly stimulated by the heavy shock, danced an odd little number as he was lit up. When the lightning abated, he quickly slumped to the ground in defeat. Simultaneously, Gyarados was dragged to the bottom of the pool by the cluster of rocks weighing it down. It struggled at the bottom of the pool briefly until finally, it managed to thrash its tail in such a manner that it managed to burst from one of the sides. It left a rather strange stony structure on the pool bottom; Misty's first thoughts at this were, _Thank goodness, I didn't want it to be trapped!_ Upon seeing the newly formed feature at the bottom of her tank, she had a second thought, _Well that will make a nice home for some of the water Pokémon._

"Feraligatr is unable to battle. The winner is Gyarados!" Dawn announced perkily, only to shriek moments later when Gyarados roared in close proximity to her again, "Eeeek! Stop that!"

Gyarados turned to the coordinator turned temporary referee, gave her a look of annoyance, and then simply let out another short roar straight into her face. She of course, became soaked as the roar released much excess water that he had accumulated whilst underwater.

"Gyarados! She's a guest!" Misty scolded. Gyarados turned back to Misty with a look of complaint before resigning itself to move back to Misty's end of the field.

"You ok, Dawn?" Ash asked from his end.

"Ugh... this is going to take forever to dry, not to mention the fact I have to wash my hair after I got Gyarados saliva in it! Gross!" Dawn whined.

"I'm really sorry, Dawn!" Misty shouted, "Apologize right now, Gyarados!" The beast grunted something that could have been taken as grudging apology, though honestly, none of the trainers could be sure.

"Ok, time for you to face my oldest water Pokémon!" Ash hollered excitedly, "Let's go Squirtle!"

The small turtle formed in the air, and landed gracefully on the platform closest to Ash. It shouted his name with just as much gusto as Ash had as he took a fighting stance against its larger opponent.

"Oh, wow!" the stunned Misty commented, "I didn't know you got Squirtle back from the Squirtle Squad! Are they doing ok now on their own?"

"Better than ok. I got word back about two years ago from Professor Oak that he wanted to get back on my team. Apparently, the squad became such an elite force, that each of the previous members got its own team to command! Now there are four Squirtle Squads fighting fires around Kanto!" Ash elucidated proudly. Squirtle pumped his fist in self-satisfaction at this revelation.

"Wow! That's awesome!" Dawn cheered, her hair and clothing predicament temporarily forgotten.

"I'm glad to hear they're doing so well, and that you get to be together again. You and Squirtle make a great team... just not as great as me and Gyarados!" Misty stated proudly, a roar of agreement coming from the bestial serpent at her side.

"Oh don't forget Squirtle's taken down some very tough opponents! He's small but he's got the biggest heart of any water type I know!" Ash countered.

Misty's own heart fluttered momentarily. She loved how Ash had such great confidence in his partners and how much he admired them. But she quickly regained her focus and decided to resume the match, "Ok then, show me! Gyarados, hydro pump!"

"Freeze it with ice beam!" Ash countered. The little turtle shot a beam of blue-white energy towards the pulsing pillar of water careening towards him. The ice beam pierced through the stream, causing it to shatter as the ice energy powered through the water.

"Yikes! That's the most powerful ice beam I've ever seen! Gyarados! Underwater quick!" Misty nearly panicked as the beam streaked towards her most powerful Pokemon, shattering the recently frozen spout of water along the way. Gyarados only very narrowly ducked the icy attack and submerged itself.

"Squirtle has been fighting a lot of fires. He's got quite a bit of power from doing that for years!" Ash advised Misty.

"I won't underestimate his power again! Gyarados! Up!" Misty continued. The blue-scaled beast surfaced and let out a terrifying roar yet again. Misty wore a confident smile as she looked intently at Ash, "You can't freeze lightning! Thunderbolt!" The bolt soared from Gyarados, who was quite peeved his last effect proved ineffectual. It intended to rectify the problem.

"No, you can't freeze lightning! But you can disperse it! Rapid spin on platform!" Ash commanded with a smirk.

Squirtle withdrew into its shell and began spinning. The bolt hit the shell, but the lighting spread out instead of entering the shell, arcing around the turtle and harmlessly entering the pool.

"So... I see you subscribe to strategies Gary used against you years ago..." Misty mocked playfully.

Ash's response truly surprised her, "I've learned a lot from Gary. Even though he's a researcher now, there was no denying he was a great trainer too. I've adapted many people's battle styles and tricks. His are quite handy."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Ash Ketchum?" Misty asked almost blandly. She couldn't believe this. This man... complimented Gary Oak. She knew that deep down, especially after the Silver Conference, the two had a deep respect for one another. But he always kept it hidden under layers of pride and snark. This was unprecedented.

Her mind raced, _Has he come such a long way from the boy he was to actually acknowledge his childhood rival in a positive light? Is he the boy I once knew anymore?_

Immediately, thoughts of regret began pouring through her,_ Nearly seven years, I never talked to him, and even longer since they had been in each other's presence. I'm beginning to regret not being around Ash Ketchum as he finally broke out of the boyish shell of his. Maybe then he would've..._

She pushed such thoughts away. She needed to focus on the battle at hand. Already Ash took advantage of the lull and ordered Squirtle to move onto the island in the center.

"Stone-edge! Hit him while he's moving!" Misty ordered hastily, trying to make up for her lapse.

"Dive under and dig into the side of the island!" Ash interjected.

"Dig underwater?" Dawn mused, "That's a new one..." Her mind filled with thoughts about how to apply that to a contest.

The stone-edge rocks struck the water, only to ineffectually sink to the sides of the nimble turtle. Squirtle burrowed into the island as he was told, shortly emerging on the surface of the waterlogged landmass.

Misty was both impressed and irked all at once. "Gyarados! Flood that whole island! I don't even want to see it anymore! Then mass thunderbolts again!" she instructed. The great serpent unleashed a torrent on the island, beginning to effectively drown it.

"Ah! So you're countering Gary's strategy with my own! That's inventive. It's also predictable!" Ash spoke challengingly, "Squirtle, ice beam that hydro pump and run right to it!"

"Huh!" Misty and Dawn both exclaimed.

Squirtle jumped and did a clean sweep with ice beam, making an improvised ramp out of the torrent of water on which he quickly dashed to meet the face of Gyarados. Ash took advantage of the astonishment of the gym leader and her Pokémon to strike, "Now hydro pump right into the mouth!"

The gaping maw of Gyarados was a large and easy target. Squirtle ducked back into his shell and directed a large blast of water from crevice that once housed his head. The shockingly powerful blast knocked Gyarados back into the poolside where his head smacked against the wall of the gym itself.

"Now finish up with ice beam!" Ash directed with great enthusiasm.

The beast was blasted with a thick beam of pure cold energy, which caused the water-flying type to writhe until, at last, it passed out.

Dawn stared in awe before remembering her responsibility, "Gyarados is unable to battle! Squirtle is the winner!"

Ash couldn't help but let out a cheer. It was quite a victory. Squirtle had taken little to no damage, and completely toppled Misty's behemoth.

"Well Ash... I didn't expect any less from you," Misty complimented him. Her voice carried absolute sincerity, "So I am going to have to counter your oldest water Pokémon with mine! Go Starm-,"

As Misty pitched her arm back to throw forth her last capsule, a light burst from her belt and materialized in the water. The shimmering mass of energy took form and instantaneously it began flailing in a mad panic.

"Psy-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-aye!"

"NOOOOOOOO! Curse you, you damnable yellow, flat-beaked, annoying-," Misty couldn't even finish her insult as she was so flustered by this latest appearance of her inept swimmer, "PSYDUCK! THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BATTLE! YOU CAN'T KEEP DOING THIS!"

Both Ash and Dawn observed Misty screaming in agony as her veins seemed to bulge from her forehead. She collapsed on the pool's edge in despair.

"Ash... you know I meant to use Starmie... do you mind if I switch... I know it's against the rules but-," Misty pleaded with Ash, but he would have none of it.

"Misty..." he stretched out her name in a silly tone, "We're treating this like an official gym battle, right?"

Misty growled at him, growing red, and steam nearly blowing out her ears. But then he continued, "But this is perfect actually... the last time we had a serious battle like this. Do you remember?" Misty had to make an effort to set aside her anger for a moment to try and remember. Ash, however, decided to answer for her anyway, "The Whirl Cup. Our final battle was Psyduck versus Kingler. I want a rematch with Psyduck!"

Misty stood as though frozen, and nearly fell over once she felt she could move again. She couldn't believe this. "A rematch... with Psyduck. Are you serious?"

"Come on, Misty, you've had him for almost twelve years. Surely he's gotten better. And besides, I'm sure that deep down, you really believe in him," Ash offered, his voice completely genuine.

Misty was taken aback by this strange twist in logic. She was almost convinced this was a trick by Ash to get an easy win in their match. But she remembered, at least when they were young, that Ash hated all forms of cheating. From what she could tell, none of his morals had changed since. After all these years, did he really think she managed to help Psyduck improve? Maybe that was how highly he thought of her. And now she was deathly embarrassed that she wouldn't be able to live up to his image of her.

Psyduck in the meantime, had managed to flail its way to the platform closest to Misty's end of the field and pulled itself out of the pool, its breath coming in heaving gasps. Misty instantly realized she would regret this decision, but she couldn't let Ash get away with praise like that without showing him he was right. "Psyduck, are you ok to battle?"

The yellow duck pulled itself to its feet, and made a comical waving action towards its trainer. Misty could only assume that meant an affirmative and turned towards Ash and Squirtle. With as much confidence she could muster, "Ok, let's try this!"

Psyduck looked blankly at his opponent, then back at Misty, and quacked its name back at Misty, "Psy?"

"Oh man, I've made a horrible mistake..." Misty moped, practically sliding to the ground in hopelessness.

"No need to worry!" Dawn shouted from the distance, in a half-hearted attempt to comfort her best friend. Piplup had joined her and tried to cheer as well, squawking its name in a chant that resembled cheering. Pikachu had joined Misty's side and poked at her leg. She looked down at the yellow mouse, who gave her a thumbs up. She looked across the field to her opponent, who merely nodded at her.

Her dejected look faded and one of slight hope and determination returned. She looked back to her dopey duck who had now sat back down and was poking the water with one outstretched arm.

"Ok then! Psyduck! Let's start off simple! Go in for a scratch attack!" Misty ordered.

"Psy?" the duck looked fearfully at the water.

"Ok... fine wait for him to come to you..." Misty lamented.

"We'll be glad to take this battle to you! Squirtle rapid spin right into it!" Ash ordered. The turtle chuckled before he carried out the order and jumped. He tucked itself into his shell and spun his way over towards Psyduck. He hit the yellow crown of the waterfowl's head, creating an almost hollow 'thunk' sound. Psyduck didn't seem much worse for wear after the impact... at least not until a few seconds later when it fell over hilariously and starting whining in pain. Ash tried to hold back a laugh but couldn't. Dawn continued to look on in sheer astonishment. She had heard stories of Psyduck over the phone and during visits, but this was the first time she had borne witness to his antics.

"Hey! What's the big deal?!" Misty raged at Ash.

"Sorry... this is just so..." he was still wrapped in laughs as he tried to explain, "I missed that duck so much..."

"Glad it's such a source of amusement for you! It's only a source of embarrassment for me!" she shouted angrily. "I know what will shut you up! Psyduck! Use screech!"

The dopey duck finally managed to pull itself to its feet, and acknowledged the command. However, acknowledgment and performance were two very different things. Psyduck took a breath, and let out a very nasally, long, droning cry of, "Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" It certainly wasn't a screech attack, but it was likely the most annoying sound the trio had ever heard in their lives.

And it just kept going. The 'screech' didn't cease until Psyduck was blue in the face for lack of breathing and the vocal labour came to an end involuntarily as Psyduck wheezed and fell over yet again. Ash howled with laughter, and Dawn couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

"I'm going to die of embarrassment," Misty sulked, crumbling to her knees.

"Ok... ok... Misty... I have an idea," Ash told her, finally getting over the laughing fit, "I'm going to induce a headache."

Misty's eyes shot upward from the ground, and Dawn's turned to Ash with an incredulous look.

"You're going to toss away an easy win?" Misty inquired, perplexed by the very notion he was proposing.

"Induce a headache?" Dawn added, confused as the redhead was.

"I want to fight the Psyduck that I battled years ago. I want an even battle. I know Psyduck can give it. I know you can too," Ash spoke quietly, yet loudly enough for his voice to echo across the pool.

"Ash you don't have to," Misty pressed, her voice growing soft.

"But I want to," Ash replied, his voice growing determined again, "I know Psyduck is plenty powerful... and I want to test myself against it. Besides, I want an even match."

Misty's frown of consternation faded and was slowly replaced with a smile. The generosity of Ash Ketchum was legendary, and now she bore witness to it once again. But she couldn't just let that last comment slide, "Oh... once Psyduck gets going... it'll be anything but even."

"Then let's put that theory to the test!" Ash yelled boldly, "Squirtle... get over there and knock that duck on its head!"

"Squirt!" the blue turtle exclaimed, bounded over the waves of the pool, finally landing on Psyduck's platform. The absent-minded duck regarded the new arrival with a small perplexed utterance of its name before Squirtle, without any prior warning, conked the waterfowl on its head. Another dull thud resounded as the duck simply stood there and took the hit. Psyduck barely reacted.

"Keep it up! Last time it took Kingler's vice-grip before it got a bad enough headache," Ash advised. The turtle repeated his action several times, bringing its small, but powerful arm down atop the head of the silly bird. Each impact was punctuated by a flat utterance of 'duck' by the yellow Pokémon.

"It's barely having an effect," Ash quietly commented, "Ok, let's try something else. Jump up high and come down directly from above with a rapid spin!"

Squirtle easily followed the command, jumping quite a bit higher than most would think a turtle could jump. He quickly tucked itself in his shell again and began his spin, flying down at a terrifying velocity. Squirtle collided with the crown of Psyduck's head, only to bounce back up. This display was repeated again and again; and slowly but surely, Psyduck's reactionary cries grew louder and more strained. Both Ash and Misty knew the headache was building to its critical point.

"One more! Then bounce away to the nearest platform!" Ash instructed.

The directions were followed flawlessly, and Squirtle bounded away gracefully to the platform closest to the drowned island. Meanwhile, Psyduck began screaming loudly in its nasal and pained voice. Its eyes shut tightly as it gripped its skull more tightly than before. Finally, its eyes shot open. They were not the same eyes as before. These eyes were focused, full of intent, and glowed with a strange blue light.

"Now we can get started!" Ash proclaimed excitedly, "Hydro pump on Psyduck!"

The small turtle once again crawled back into his shell and shot a torrent of water towards the still unmoved opponent.

"Turn it back with psychic!" Misty ordered, her eyes shining with new hope and confidence.

The duck swayed its arms until finally bringing them together in a forward pointed gesture. Its blue eyes shimmered more brightly and Psyduck parted his hands, extending them to the sides like a conductor. The water parted in the middle and surged back towards the small, orange-shelled antagonist.

"Cease and use-rapid spin!"

The column of water was cut and the small turtle began spinning at a speed that caused small gusts of wind to push waves away from its platform. The twin snakes of water, illuminated by a blue outline due to Psyduck's control, collided with the spinning defense. The water was easily deflected and splashed in all directions, raining down on the pool as a clear mist. Dawn took note of the technique, clearly impressed with how Squirtle had managed to turn the attack into a glittering curtain that gently permeated the field.

"See what I told you Misty. Psyduck is plenty powerful. He just needs some help getting started," Ash praised.

"Thank you Ash," Misty felt genuinely appreciative, but now she was caught up in the match and her voice turned competitive yet again, "But don't think some kind words will make us go easy on you!"

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Ash challenged.

"Now, let's see a real screech!" Misty called.

This time, instead of a long, droning joke of an attack, an ear-splitting shockwave of sound poured from Psyduck's bill. The sound carved its way across the waves to Squirtle, creating a wake much like a powerful boat would.

"Underwater! Quick!" Ash nearly cried in panic, the sheer power of the screech taking him by surprise.

The waves passed over Squirtle as he dove into the depths of the pool. However, Misty was anything but finished.

"Let me show you how sonar works! Screech into the water!"

The duck reacted and opened its beak, sending its terrifying sound downwards. The waves propagated and amplified as they entered the pool, causing the deeper waters to shake and shudder at their passing. Squirtle helplessly covered his ears as it tore past him.

"Ugh! Dang, should've predicted that!" Ash cursed himself.

"Now, a re-enactment of something from earlier in the match, only with my own twist!" Misty put on in her own fake announcer's voice, "Psyduck use psychic on the pool to create a whirlpool around Squirtle!"

Ash not only remembered this being used earlier in the match, he remembered this being the exact same technique used by Mandi, his first opponent in the Indigo Conference from his very first journey. He managed to get out of it by pure luck with Krabby, but he couldn't rely on luck for this. Soon Squirtle was caught in the swirling vortex of water, and Ash needed to quickly get him out. As powerful a swimmer as Squirtle was, he couldn't compete with this current. It was too powerful.

_If he can't swim under his own power... then he has to make his own power. We'll overcome the power of water with our own water power!_

"Squirtle! Point yourself straight down and hydro pump! Focus all your water in that direction!"

Though he struggled with the current that kept him tumbling, the little blue turtle finally oriented himself as told. He fired a powerful stream of water downwards and propelled himself from the whirlpool and into the air, causing gasps to leave the mouths of both women present. Ash smirked as his saw his plan work.

"Use psychic to make arms of water! Grab him and throw him back in!" Misty countered, her will unbending. She wouldn't let Ash get out of that situation so easily.

"Freeze them with ice beam!" Ash's order was obeyed only in the nick of time, as the tendrils of water threatened the grasp the airborne turtle. Each one that froze shattered under its own weight and fell to the water below. However, Psyduck would not relent, conjuring more and more tentacles to snatch its elusive opponent.

"Ice-beam counter-shield!"

Ducking back into hid shell again, Squirtle spun as he emitted thin ice-beams from his home, halting all advancing limbs of water with ease. Dawn was immensely flattered by Ash's tribute. She knew he got the idea for that from her last contest in Viridian where her Lopunny pulled off an appeal using a spinning ice-beam to create a shimmering spiral stair-case.

"Fine! The direct approach!" Misty bellowed, "Psychic on Squirtle, send it to the ceiling!"

Squirtle was caught in the air, glowing in an outline of faint blue. He struggled against it, but was unable to break from the power of Psyduck. Psyduck lifted his arms up, as though directing an orchestra, and Squirtle was sent flying towards the roof of the gym.

"Another hydro pump! Straight up!" Squirtle did just that, channeling another huge stream into the gym's rafters, stalling the psychic movement. Eventually, the psychic attack let up and the turtle fell to the water below.

"Now! Dig into the remains of the island!" Ash dictated. As gracefully as he would dive into the pool, Squirtle dove into the soggy sands of the drowned island.

"What are you doing Ash?" Misty questioned in an exasperated tone, "You can't dig your way to me. You have to come out to fight."

"Who says I'm staying in the sand!" Ash chuckled, "Squirtle are you ready?"

A few bubbles surfaced from the hole in which the turtle had burrowed, indicating his response.

"Ok! Let's try this out! Rocket out of there with hydro pump and use Hydro Disc!"

"Hydro disc?" Both Misty and Dawn asked incredulously.

From the hole in the waterlogged isle burst an orange shell being pushed forth like a missile by a rocket-like torrent of water. It arced towards Psyduck with startling speed. Not long after it reached its peak, the shell began to spin rapidly, emitting water from all six of its entryways. Its spin grew so fast, the streams of water began to merge into a single entity, until it more resembled a watery saw blade than a Pokémon.

Most Pokémon would've been terrified at the sight of this monstrosity heading towards it. But Psyduck, in its current state, only narrowed its eyes in determination as it quickly approached. Misty, however, was so taken aback by this stunning attack that she nearly forgot to react.

"Gah! Psyduck, knock it off balance with Zen Headbutt!" Misty told her yellow duck, her courage quickly returning.

Psyduck's head began to glow purple as he was lifted himself off the ground with his psychic powers. He flew straight at the fast approaching disc of water.

The collision was nothing short of spectacular. The water from the hydro pump was released upon impact, spraying all over the walls of the gym. Both Squirtle and Psyduck landed behind their respective trainers, dazed and dizzy as one could only imagine. The blue glow from Psyduck's eyes faded, and its old dopey look returned. It stood momentarily, not moving a muscle until fell over and gave a long, "duuuuuuuck" in exasperation. Squirtle pulled his head and limbs out of its shell, only to reveal his unconscious state.

"... Wow..." Dawn stated with flat amazement, "Both Pokémon are unable to battle, so this match is a draw."

Misty knelt down beside her sleeping duck and petted it gently. Her kind words floated to it, "That was the best battle you ever fought. I'm so proud of you. Return and take a good rest." She returned it to her pokéball.

"You were fantastic out there buddy. That last move was perfect. Any other Pokémon would have fainted at the sight of it alone. Have a nice long rest," Ash lauded his oldest water-type, returning him to his own red and white sphere.

Misty and Ash slowly walked to one another along the length of the pool. They stopped before one another, with Dawn not far off. Misty began to extend her hand for the customary gesture of a good battle. However, she was quite surprised by Ash's sudden act. He pulled her into a hug and held her tightly. She didn't honestly know how to feel about this.

_What does this mean? Does he like me? Is this a platonic hug? Did he just want to do this since we haven't had the chance to for years? Is it just because of the great battle we had? Yes... it's probably just that last one. Ash doesn't think of me like that._ Her thoughts reeled back and forth in her head as Ash released her.

"That was probably the best battle I had in years! Thanks so much Misty! It was fantastic!" Ash lavished her with praise. She couldn't help but blush, and she could only pray she could hide it from him.

"Thanks, that means a lot. And I agree. That was the best battle I've had in ages," Misty spoke softly, "I've been beaten before now, but no battle made me fight so hard, or brought out as much intensity in me and my Pokémon. And what was better is that it was an all water battle, something that I haven't had since I traveled with you!"

"Just bear in mind, I could've beaten you had Pikachu been willing to battle!" Ash jokingly bragged, a small laugh coming from him.

Misty gave him a teasing smile, "Oh... don't let your head get too big Ketchum. Might I remind you still haven't legitimately earned the Cascade Badge. Besides, Pikachu loves me too much to ever battle me! Right?"

Pikachu pounced up into Misty's arms and chimed, "Pikachupi! Pikaaaa."

"Always on her side, aren't you buddy?" Ash playfully inquired, to which Pikachu nodded eagerly.

"Pip-pip! Piplup!" Dawn's starter piped up, hopping up and down, cheering at Misty's feet.

"I think Piplup likes how you battled too, Misty! He is a water type after all, you're quite the water expert," Dawn complimented her best friend.

"Aww, thanks Dawn, and you too Piplup! You're one of the cutest water Pokémon ever!" Misty returned the kind words, bending down to pick up the penguin, hoisting him up alongside Pikachu and nuzzling them both.

They left the gym and went to the Pokémon center where both Ash and Misty submitted their three Pokémon for treatment. Misty decided to close the gym for the remainder of the day, as two of her most powerful Pokémon were out of commission, and the gym staff needed to repair the mid-field island.

"Since when did you get Gym Assistants?" Ash asked out of curiosity.

"About five years ago. Once I whipped the gym back into shape in the league's eyes, they increased my funding. Now I have a lot more on hand help, and the gym itself is in better shape. You saw the new battlefield. It used to just be a plain pool where we would hold water shows and swimming races. Now it's actually a dedicated battlefield," she paused, and took a breath, "I don't think my sisters would mind since they're on tour so much. And even if they did... well, they left me here to run the place, so it's their own fault if they don't like it."

"Yeah, I don't like the way they kind of leave you out in the cold like that," Dawn remarked, a scowl of near disgust on her face.

"I know... but I just have to deal with it... I guess," Misty answered resignedly.

"Well, on the bright side, the steady stream of challengers has made you a powerhouse of a trainer, that's for sure," Ash reassured her.

"Yes, because facing against rookies with Bulbasaurs, Pidgies and Rattata is such good exercise. Only once a month do I get a challenger that might stand a chance of beating me, and I haven't had a challenge like you in years Ash," Misty lamented.

"So how did you develop your skills so well?" Ash posed his own question.

"A lot of self-training, research, I make sure to watch the leagues every year and take notes, and umm... I keep tabs on trainers who I know are good... to you know... keep up with latest techniques and strategies," Misty mumbled.

"Anyone I would know?" Ash casually inquired.

"Mostly it's the few who beat me... and some I see on TV... you might know them, considering how much you travel and how many people you meet," Misty tried to steer around the issue of naming names, her face lit up though as she thought of something, "Though having May, Dawn and Iris over those few times let me battle some high caliber trainers. Whether they're coordinators or type specialists, all three of them are great partners to battle against."

"Fair enough," Ash accepted, apparently satisfied with the answer.

"I actually noticed your style has changed a lot since I last saw you battle? How'd that come about?" Misty asked pointedly.

Ash's face went from content to slightly disappointed. As much as he learned on his lengthy journey, he wasn't proud of how he still managed to lose his latest tournament, and even more disappointed in how he shunned everyone. He replied, trying to remain cheerful, "I re-evaluated everything I learned from when I was a silly kid. I travelled around to get a new set of eyes on places I've been and people I challenged. I fought all the gym leaders in every other region I've been to thus far. I make a point now of trying to match the right attributes to the right situation, clever uses of strength against foes with brute force or hard defense, speed to outmatch those I can't overpower, defense against those whose speed outclasses mine, always training my Pokémon to beat type disadvantage, and always keeping myself aware of escape routes for when things get hairy."

Misty's eyes went wide with his whole explanation, "Why the whole overhaul though?"

Ash's face flashed a deep disappointment again and he tried to phrase it as least painfully as he could for himself, "Because I need to get better. For my Pokémon and for all those who believe in me." His eyes glanced briefly to Dawn, who was staring at him in turn. Misty didn't catch this, as she stared contemplatively ahead as she led them back to her living room.

"I noticed you using a lot really creative moves and combos out there. You pick all those up from Dawn?" Misty continued her line of questions, opting to deviate from the specifics of his long absence, as she saw it wasn't pleasant for him.

"Dawn and I exchange ideas almost all the time," Ash informed the redhead whilst his grin returned, "Like I said to you during the match, she invented counter-shield. The ice-beam variation I used today was inspired by the one her Lopunny used in a contest recently. She also invented the spinning dodge that some of my light-weight Pokémon use, as well as ice-aqua jet! In general, many of her move and element combinations are really good, so I often apply them to my battles!"

"Hey! Now don't go over praising me Ash!" Dawn interjected, "I get plenty of ideas from you too! Today alone I counted three ideas for great appeals and contest battle maneuvers... not to mention that insane Hydro Disc! I swear, that thing was more terrifying and beautiful than anything I've ever seen at a Grand Festival or a Wallace Cup!"

"Well... I'll admit I love claiming credit for that one," Ash said sheepishly, "It just came to me, and I knew it was going to be awesome."

Misty grinned widely as she walked side by side with Ash, "Yeah, I'll be the first to admit... if one thing has stayed the same since we've last battled, it's your ability to pull ridiculous strategies out of the air."

The three arrived in the living room and sat down for a nice rest as they continued to catch up for the last years the trio spent apart. As Ash told her more and more, she couldn't help but admire him just as much, if not more than she used to. In addition to all his great qualities, like his heroic resolve, enthusiasm, determination, and kind heart, he also gained a greater sense of maturity and a surprisingly deep outlook on some things in life. Granted he was still somewhat naive on certain topics, which both Dawn and Misty ribbed him for. In the end, though, it led to the same conclusion for her. Against all her hopes and her efforts over the years, her feelings for the black-haired trainer were still there. And they were growing stronger every second she was near him.


	7. Chapter 7: The Shimmering Reef

**Chapter 7 – The Shimmering Reef**

"Come on, Ash... when's the last time you went out and had some fun?" Dawn goaded Ash.

It was later in the evening, and since Ash and Misty's battle that in the morning, the trio had gone out for a great lunch, visited the tourist sites around the city, and even spent some time on the beach. Ash thought that Dawn and Misty would have been exhausted from the active day they all spent together. Yet now, the two women stood at the doorway of the gym, waiting for Ash to hoist himself from his seat on the couch. He was reluctant. Despite being twenty-two, going on twenty-three soon, he had yet participate in what Dawn was calling 'a night on the town'.

"I have plenty of fun battling. I do it all the time!" Ash protested. He wanted to bring up all the times he had gone out with Dawn to the movies, to dinners, and even to few dance clubs. However, he couldn't because the duo hadn't yet discussed how they were going to tell Misty. They narrowly avoided having Misty find out by their relationship prematurely by her walking in on them as they slept in together that morning. They had only been spared by a loud knock on the gym's front door that distracted the gym leader and while Dawn took the opportunity to return to her own bedroom. It was a fortunate break, since Dawn had expressed a desire to make sure they told her together and in a manner that didn't shock Misty; especially since the last two times they told people, Ash had done the honours. He got to tell his mother, which was fine, but he accidentally let it slip with Brock. Since they were both friends of Misty's, Dawn felt it important to inform her together.

But that wasn't the issue at hand. It was getting out of having to do something he presumed was going to be excessively girl oriented. He didn't understand why the two ladies didn't just have a 'girls night' like Dawn had described when all his former female traveling companions dropped into Cerulean before.

"Ash, I don't understand why you're so apprehensive. We're going to a pretty cool club. They have food there too! You should like it. Just try not to stuff your face like you usually do and embarrass us..." Misty tried to be encouraging, but in her usual manner, her words of positivity descended into a critical remark towards the end.

"I'm not as bad as I used to be..." Ash dismissively stated, waving his hand so as to deflect the insult.

"No... but considering your age, you're still pretty bad," Misty criticized, her tone growing annoyed.

"I'm sure you'll have more fun without me- hey!" Ash tried to make an excuse when he found himself tugged by the ear by a quite impatient redhead.

"You need to hurry up so we don't have to wait in the line for hours!" she lectured, her iron grip causing a nostalgic, if somewhat sharp pain in his lobe. Dawn merely giggled as the two walked out with the third literally in tow.

It was a brisk twenty minute walk through the city in the dark of the post-sunset evening. Despite this, the city was lit brilliantly. The streets were lined with blue and green lanterns that seemed to cast an almost sea-like shimmer on the buildings. It truly was a city with the ocean at its heart. Their short walk brought them to a building which was stylishly designed. Ash knew why Misty had brought them here. It was a sea themed club. The face of the building was decorated with small stones that resembled river rocks smoothed by the current. Sections of these were coloured differently such that it created a mural of sorts portraying a scene of the ocean bottom, with blue stones dominating the upper half. Interspersed throughout were portrayals of water types that were surprisingly detailed due to the use of small clusters of pebble-sized painted rocks. The lower half of the design showed the rocky sea floor itself, complete with depictions of coral, seaweed and other Pokémon one might find on the stony bottom, like Corsola, Krabby, and Shellder. The sign directly above the doorway read 'The Shimmering Reef' in red neon letters. The name itself was plastered on an elaborate Clamperl-like shell. Beats of music echoed from within, confirming Ash's suspicions of it being a dance club. He hated dancing. He was no good at it.

"Come on, slowpoke!" Misty shouted, "We don't have all night!" The two girls had gotten ahead of him as they approached the entry while Ash had taken a moment to gaze at the remarkable stone mural. He caught up with them as they were about to enter and they each put a hand on one of his shoulders as the pulled him in with them. The beats of music ramped up in intensity the moment they passed through the doors. The dance floor was packed, as expected. The bar was partially open, with only a few patrons electing to sit during the song.

Ash tried to stay back as the girls pulled him to the dance floor. They laughed and Misty asked, "What's wrong Ash? Afraid to dance?"

Ash was about to answer when Dawn cut in, "Oh, he's tried before. It was a disaster!"

They laughed again, and Ash groaned dejectedly, "Do you really want me to embarrass you like that?"

"Oh, we'll just say you're a creep and we don't know you if anyone asks..." Dawn slyly quipped.

He knew she was joking, but the words still had a sting to them. He pushed the feeling aside and, by no choice of his own, entered the dance floor with the two girls. They quickly found an open space not far from the center of the floor. Bodies shook back and forth in tight proximity, always threatening to collide, but never doing so; unless it was intended. That was exactly what happened a few times between him and Dawn. She and Ash still hadn't had a proper discussion of how and when to tell Misty about their relationship, but it appeared Dawn didn't really care right now. Maybe she figured that Misty would merely see it as her playful nature. At the very least, the entertained look on Misty's face gave the impression that was what she believed. She wouldn't have, though, if she caught the almost naughty expression on Dawn's face. The coordinator was playing a dangerous game, and she knew it. It was almost thrilling in a way, with Ash and Dawn exchanging sultry glances when they both knew Misty wasn't looking and allowing brief touches of their bodies that made lightning travel up their spines.

No one around them seemed to care that Ash was a bad dancer, much less Misty and Dawn. The trio took turns dancing with one another and often just danced as a group. Often, one of the girls would pull a maneuver that either caused them a screech of approval from the other, or a laugh from both the opposite girl and Ash. Eventually, more arrivals to the dance floor caused their space to nearly vanish, and they were quite nearly pressed together. In this small space, they often traded spots. Sometimes, Ash would come up behind Dawn with Misty facing away whilst she was in front of the blunette. This gave him free range to caress his girlfriend with little chance of Misty seeing. He ran his hands up and down her sides as she reached back and pulled his head forward alongside hers, all the while gyrating together. Sometimes Ash was pressed up against Misty as Dawn and the redhead playfully danced back to back as though they were some kind of on-stage duo.

But the strangest feeling for Ash came when he was sandwiched between the two. Alternately, he found himself in this position looking at either Dawn or Misty. When he was faced with Dawn, he had the chance to look deep into her passionate blue eyes that sparkled with the changing lights of the club. Sometimes, he was faced towards Misty and contact became inevitable. While Dawn mischievously worked his back, he looked on Misty, trying not to betray his look of pleasure from his girlfriend's actions. He had to admit, however, the gym leader was a vision in the ever shifting lights of the club. Her small smile was quite cute, her sea-green eyes shimmered with reflections, and her red hair moved dreamily back and forth with every movement. The sway of her body was pleasant to behold as well, as her well pronounced hips bounded from side to side. At times when they pressed together, the swell of her breasts were pushed into his own chest. All of it felt good to Ash, which caused a well of confusion to bubble up inside of him.

At the end of one of the songs, he managed to wrestle his way through the crowd and make it to the bar. He had no intention of drinking alcohol as he didn't feel the need to indulge such a habit, save for special occasions. But he was thirsty... and hungry. As another fast-paced dance song began to fill the air of the club with the sound of its deep bass beats, he managed to signal the barkeep who took his order for some water and some fries. As he waited, he noted that he couldn't see either Dawn or Misty on the dance floor, even from his elevated vantage point above the mass of people. He merely dismissed it, figuring they were hidden in the swath of people. He immediately received his drink, and his fries came not long after. As he lifted the fry to his mouth, he found it plucked at almost the last moment from his fingers.

"Thanks!" he heard the familiar voice from behind him, "I was getting hungry!"

Ash turned around faster than most people would. After all, someone had taken his food!

"Misty!" he exclaimed, "You could've asked!"

"Now where's the fun in that?" she heckled, quickly devouring the fry before Ash could object. She reached for another and gave him a devilish look, "Can I have another?"

Ash sighed, "Sure."

Rather than plucking one more, she pulled the whole plate over to her and began leisurely picking fries and eating them, giving him playful looks as each one disappeared into her mouth. Ash, fighting his nature, didn't wolf down his portion. Instead he decided to match her pace, giving her a scowl as they ate one fry at a time.

"You're not mad are you?" she asked sarcastically.

"Not at all..." Ash played along, knowing that the redhead was trying to press his buttons. He knew she was testing him, but he didn't know why. In the end, however, he just couldn't find himself able to become angry with the woman. It felt odd, especially since he knew he should be, considering his fries were disappearing at a decent pace.

"It's so nice of you to share, Ash. Normally this would've been gone before I had a chance to blink at it," Misty continued her sarcastically sweet side of the conversation.

"Yeah... normally," he mused, taking a drink of his water before turning back to the redhead who was slowly draining his plate of fries, "Where's Dawn?"

"Oh!" her face came to a state of realization. She had nearly forgotten she wasn't there, "She's gone to the ladies' room. You, on the other hand, look like you need some company."

"Thanks..." he replied dryly as Misty finished off the last of his fries.

She took a look at his drink, and asked with an odd tone, "No beer at the bar?"

"I don't drink," Ash replied casually.

"Hmm, me neither. Never been a fan. Besides my sisters do enough drinking to make up for me six times over," she spoke, her voice growing distant.

"You miss them?" the raven-haired trainer inquired. He knew they were on tour from one of the conversations that had led to his current accommodations on the day they arrived.

"Yes and no," Misty answered with a tone of indecisiveness, "I mean, they're family, and I love them and all that. But really... since I came back to Cerulean... they've done almost nothing to help at the gym. But at least they're doing what they've always wanted. Seeing the world, becoming celebrities... partying." Her tone grew almost distasteful the further along she went on her sermon.

"I missed you... and I missed traveling with you. Staying in one place had its appeal for maybe all of a month... then," she trailed off.

"You feel like you're rooted, and it just doesn't feel right," Ash finished, taking another drink of his water.

Misty turned her head and smiled at her old friend, "Exactly."

"Have you thought about finding someone else to run the gym," Ash asked, curious to see how far she'd gone to try get back on the road.

"I've looked into it. Sadly, there aren't many people who specialize in water types, or at least none that meet gym standards. It's not a popular specialty, since so many water types depend on a specific environment to be able to battle. That and it's not as flashy," she used finger quotes at this last word, "as other types. And every other water trainer I know or heard of that has the skill is already in charge of something, a gym, a school, a fire department, or they're a coordinator in charge of their own competition."

Ash snorted at that final bullet point and asked, "You tried asking Wallace?"

Misty herself let out a short loud laugh and snapped, "You really think I would ask an ex-champion and legendary coordinator to run a small gym in Kanto? Hah!" Misty gave him an amused look. She knew he was kidding of course, but the fact that he decided to even speak the question out loud was absurd enough on its own.

They both laughed about it and Misty eventually got herself a glass of water and drank along with Ash. There was a brief silence. But it was soon broken when Misty asked him a poignant question, "Ash... when you think about the time we travelled together, what do you feel?"

Ash was taken aback by the sudden inquiry and its apparent depth. He knew there was more to it than she let on, but he wasn't just going to ignore her, "It was one of the greatest times in my life. I was sad when it ended and you had to leave. Of course, I was sad when Brock left too, but that was pretty short-lived since he decided to come find me in Hoenn anyway."

"But there were good memories too right?"

Ash didn't even hesitate, "Of course!"

"Like?"

"Er..." now Ash stumbled. He had many things he could bring up. He decided to go with a neutral answer, "The Indigo Conference was awesome. My first major tournament. Kinda ended earlier than I liked but-,"

"Uh, Ash..." she interrupted, "I mean more... the day to day things. You know the journey, the crazy adventures... the people." Her voice grew soft at the last words.

"I," he paused. He knew what part she was stressing. He could've tried to play dumb and talk about all the people they met on the road. But he didn't want to be difficult, "I made some great friends. People who are stuck in my memories because of all the great times we had. People who are very important to me." His voice was very quiet. Misty could barely register it over the distant music, which was now dying down. A new song came on, a softer melody which carried gentler tones over the air. On the floor, people began to pair up. Slow dancing replaced the hectic and manic movements of before.

Still standing at the bar, the two were deep in thought. The music had its own effect on them. It seemed to compliment their reflective mood. The two, formerly sitting facing forward towards the bar now turned to face each other. Misty's face glimmered in the light of the bar, continually fighting to stay in its current form of contentment rather than dissolving into the amorous gaze it truly wanted to become. Ash's face betrayed nervousness. He hadn't had this deep a conversation with Misty in years. The last they had was after the Vertress Conference after he lost in the quarter finals to Cameron. He confided in her his great disappointment in his performance. He did better in the Lily of the Valley Conference the year before and had only grown worse in the intervening year.

"Ash, I need to tell you something. Something that I wanted to say years ago, but couldn't," she quietly told him, her voice on the edge between stern and pleading.

Ash gulped. He wasn't sure was this revelation was. Was it the reason she hadn't talked to him for years. Was it that she wanted to journey with again? He knew that she did, but she would only say if she truly knew she could do something to leave the gym. Or maybe it was something that happened to her during the time they didn't talk. A strange notion that she might've found someone crossed his mind. For some reason that he failed to understand, it didn't make him feel good.

She took a step towards him, drawing nearly as close as they had been on the dance floor. She was mere fractions of an inch for touching him. Her proximity gave the air a familiar charge. He couldn't place it at first.

"Ash... this is hard to say. I don't know why. Maybe it's because I've always taken care of myself. Maybe the idea that I would need someone else is foreign to me. You of all people know how independent I am. But..." she put her hands on his shoulders and pulled herself to him. She was flush against him. His hands remained rigidly at his side, as he was frozen solid. The familiar feeling he simply couldn't associate in his mind grew exponentially. Her voice lowered to a whisper as her face was now incredibly close. Their noses were now just an inch apart. He could feel her deep breaths on his face, "the years have shown me that while many things change, some don't. I spent years trying to seal away and crush away these... feelings. But it didn't work. Recent events have proven that to me." She drew closer still, at a speed that even a video camera would scarcely be able to capture.

"Misty..." Ash breathed. She was being so vague, but the familiar feeling was setting off alarms in his brain. He couldn't for the life of him determine why. Something was clouding his mind, giving off the vague feeling of nostalgia and a strange form of tension. Was she this glad to have him back in her life as a friend? Had she been this dejected, being trapped in the gym while her friends and family travelled the world without her? He could certainly understand the notion.

"Please, Ash, just tell me tell you... that I..." Misty's breath hitched at the moment of truth.

Her face had drawn indescribably close in the time between his thoughts and her words. He wasn't sure what this strange charged feeling his body experiencing was. All he knew was that he felt it only in one other person's presence. Until tonight, only one person gave him this tingling, hazy feeling. Someone who he cared for deeply. Someone who gave him strength when he had none. Someone who had driven him from despair.

"Love... you..." she finished at last.

_Love._

_It's someone I love._

_Dawn._

_ Dawn! I love Dawn! What are you doing Ash!?_

His mind screamed at him and he quickly put his hands up between him and the redhead who now was clearly attempting to kiss him. She halted, and her face remained blank at the sudden loss of movement. Her mind was a different story. Her consciousness, which had hovered in a state of near-bliss, plummeted through her range of emotions until it crashed into horror and despair.

"Misty, I'm sorry... I can't," his voice barely registered as a sound at all. He found the words surprisingly hard to say.

Tears threatened to burst forth from her eyes, but her resolve held and she merely managed to ask in the smallest voice he had ever heard pass her lips, "Why?"

"I," he thought of the consequences of divulging information about himself and Dawn in the wake of the latest development, and he stuttered. It would destroy her friendship with Dawn, and could even affect his relationship with her. He couldn't find the right phrase, so he said the only thing he thought he could get away with, "I need time."

She was at a loss for words. To her, this had a thousand different possible meanings. Did it mean he loved her but was committed to his quest right now? Was he just trying to put her off to make an excuse? Did it mean he didn't love her at all? Did it mean he just got out of a relationship and was still hurting? The thought that he had been in a relationship before seemed almost impossible to her. After all, it was Ash she was talking about; and the Ash she knew was a dense, clueless, oblivious rock when it came to the topic at hand. And yet, after hearing those words, she couldn't dismiss it.

She had taken a huge risk. One she had put off for years. One that had tormented her every night before she went to sleep. She had made the gamble, and lost.

Before the tears that threatened to burst from their shimmering orbs managed to do so, she turned on her heel and dashed from the club. Her wavy hair swished back and forth behind her as she raced as fast as she could from his sight.

Instantly, Ash felt many things for her: guilt, sadness, regret, sympathy, emptiness. The last of these things perplexed him. He had remained loyal to Dawn, if only recognizing the threat at the very last second. And yet he felt as though he had done something horribly wrong.

"Ash," came a quiet, slightly higher pitched voice.

He turned to see the approach of the blue haired girl whose presence in his mind kept him from betraying the most important relationship in his life.

Panic gripped him. He didn't know what she had seen. The redhead had been very close to him. He and Misty were locked in what could've been viewed as a romantic embrace. Though he had not even touched Misty with his own hands or lips, she could easily interpret his reluctance to move as compliance. Now, wrapped in guilt on two fronts, he couldn't even muster the strength to move his mouth, let alone the rest of his body. Only his head turned to see her. She approached him and stood before him, taking Misty's former place.

"I saw everything," she told him, her tone somewhat bereaved.

Ash's mind began to spin wildly while his physical body did nothing. He knew those words could only lead to the worst outcome.

"I saw what she almost did."

Ash's bottomed out stomach lightened slightly.

"You stopped her. I think I know what was going through your mind Ash," she claimed.

Ash's finger twitched. He was beginning to relax, but the threat remained.

"You couldn't tell her about us. You didn't know what to say. That's why you couldn't stop her at first. But you did anyway. You had to hurt a friend, our friend, to keep us together," Dawn concluded, her voice heavy with sorrow.

Ash's face lit up in astonishment. How had she been able to deduce that?

As though answering his unasked question, she told him, "I know that look you had. You were thinking hard. That forehead of yours... the way it wrinkles."

Ash's composure melted in relief. She was mostly right. And that partial accuracy and perception managed to keep her from making what could have been the worst possible assumption.

"Dawn... I-we... she's hurt bad," Ash managed to push out of his paralyzed throat.

"I know! We need to help her... but tomorrow. She needs space right now," she began to pull him away, towards the front doors of the club, "And we need to figure out what to say. If we tell her about us... she'll never speak to us again." Ash could only nod in agreement.

They passed the threshold of the club and quickly strode back to the gym. Dawn continued to instruct Ash, "Ok. She's probably going to want to confide in me about this whole mess probably. So we need to come up with something before we get back to the Gym. Any ideas?"

Ash finally managed to find his voice, "I told her I needed time..." He started his explanation, but Dawn cut him off again.

"That's damned lucky, Ash!" she nearly shouted, "We can tell her you just got out of a relationship!"

Ash frowned. He hated lying, and especially to Misty. But this was a delicate situation and he knew it.

"What's more... if we're even luckier... the open-endedness of your response might give her a little glimmer of hope," Dawn explained, her voice the epitome of seriousness.

"But... Dawn," he objected, stopping her movement and turning her to face him, "That means that we'll be leading her on, making her think she might be able to get together with me! But I love you! She'll just hate us even more, later, when she finds out that I'm already with you!"

Dawn eyes widened in surprise. She didn't expect her formerly love-dumb boyfriend to come up with such a good point in such a complicated issue. However, she saw no other way. She hugged him and whispered in his ear, "I know... I know... but right now... we just need to do this. We'll figure this out and fix it when she's got her feet back under her. Right now... we've got work to do."

She withdrew herself from him, and quizzically asked, "Since when can you ask such... incisive questions about relationships and feelings?"

Ash was shaken by the question. He didn't fancy himself as being relationship-savvy; he just didn't like the idea of covering up the truth. He bluntly answered, "I'm not... must've been a fluke."

Dawn gave a 'hmmm' of consideration before grabbing his hand and continuing to drag him to the gym. He was glad Dawn wasn't looking back at his face because he was sure he looked guilty. His thoughts swirled about the idea of how much a hypocrite he might be. Then again, he wasn't sure if he was or not. Those feelings he had as Misty closed in on him. They were the same feelings he had with Dawn. The strange feeling of static in the air when she drew close. The feeling that only grew when she pressed her body to his. He wasn't able to make the connection until the last possible second, but it was made nonetheless. Now the revelation tormented him. He had feelings for Misty... while he was in love with Dawn. It almost made him angry at himself. The idea that he of all people could be swayed from the love of his life. He was a determined and devoted man.

_No... I can't be. It's impossible. You can't love two people like that at once. I love Dawn. What happened tonight is the product of Misty's affection and the amount of time we have been apart. Maybe battling her today after so long shook something loose. Or maybe I'm just... flattered... or something._ His mind raced to concoct excuse after excuse to explain away the guilt. He might've succeeded consciously, but deep inside, the doubt lingered.

"So... who were you in a relationship with?"

His thoughts were ripped from the clouds as he was brought back to earth by Dawn's stern voice, "Huh?"

"Who were you in a relationship with? If she asks, we need an answer!" she persisted.

Ash was fed up with the idea of brewing more lies to feed to Misty. He spoke sharply, "I'm not inventing a person just to lie to Misty about!"

"What if she insists?" Dawn pressed.

"She won't. If anything, she'll just close herself off to me again," Ash nearly growled. Dawn was surprised by this change in tone. She knew it wasn't directed at her, he just hated the situation. He hated lying.

"Ash, I swear, we'll clear all this nonsense up... I promise," she turned back to Ash and pressed her lips to his. They were just around the corner from the Gym now, and it would be their last chance to do this for a while. Ash relaxed into the kiss. If anything could calm him down, this was it.

Ash exhaled, feeling like he had just breathed most of the toxic weight that pervaded his body from the last half-hour. He opened his eyes again to look on the vision that was Dawn. He knew he loved her, no matter what other feelings tainted his heart. He could deal with it in due time; he knew their love would last.

"So do we talk to her tonight?"

"No," Dawn stated matter-of-factly, "We wait for her to come talk to... well, probably me, but either or both of us could be the target of her confessions or questions."

"I'm already the target of her confessions. It's probably all on you now," Ash commented dejectedly, "I just hope I haven't broken her. She's so... tired. She wanted to move on from the gym, and from me. But she couldn't unbind herself from either."

"If it's on me to comfort her... I'll do my best. It's call I can do," Dawn mirrored his emotions at that moment.

Slowly, they walked towards the gym.

Dawn was determined, but doubtful.

Ash was steadfast, but guilt-ridden.


	8. Chapter 8: Hurricane Ash

**A/N: My apologies for missing my Wednesday update. I was without the internet the majority of the week. I hope this chapter makes up for it. Happy reading!**

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**Chapter 8 – Hurricane Ash**

The weather the next day accurately reflected the mood of the gym's denizens. Misty elected to keep the building closed to challengers for two reasons. Firstly, and most prominently, being the events of the night before. Her heart simply wasn't in it to battle anyone. The second reason was because the weather forecast issued a severe weather warning for the next several days. A typhoon was making its way up the Kantonian Coast, and Cerulean was in its path. Already the city was feeling its effects, the dark clouds having moved in during the bleak hours of sunrise, with the heavy rain starting not long after. Torrential winds tore at the city, keeping most people in their homes. No one in their right mind would come challenge the gym in this kind of weather; though Ash might've seriously considered it back in the old days.

"I'm glad we don't have to drag ourselves through this weather. It's awful nice of Misty to let us still stay here," Dawn remarked, looking out the living room window that seemed awash with the streams of water that poured down its face.

"If anyone should pack up, it should be me," Ash added lowly, "A guest shouldn't make his host so uncomfortable that she doesn't even come out of her room."

It was true that Misty had yet to emerge from her bedroom. Dawn had a brief conversation with her through the door, which ended with Misty insisting that the two visitors could stay in the house. The redhead didn't want to send them through this storm just to have to arrive at the public hotel that was the Pokémon Center. They were grateful, but Ash still felt immensely guilty for sending her into this spiral of depression, only to add to it by remaining to torment her further with his very presence.

"Ash, you had no control over the situation... she told you. It was her risk. She had to know that there was the possibility of rejection. She's smart, and would've prepared herself for it," Dawn explained, trying to alleviate his guilt.

"Still... even if she did, she got hit... hard," he stood up from his place on the couch, "And I'm not going to just sit here and keep torturing her. You can stay, because she'll need you. But I'm useless here."

"Ash, come on... you need to-," Dawn began to protest, but was interrupted by Ash's pokégear ringing.

Putting the watch-like device on his wrist to his mouth, he clicked a button and answered the call, "Ash Ketchum speaking."

"Ash, my boy! It's Professor Oak! I need to speak with you on an urgent matter regarding one of your Pokémon!" the elderly voice rang seriously through the tinny sound of the communications device.

"What's wrong?" Ash's voice grew concerned.

"It's your Torkoal, Ash... he's very ill," the professor's voice solemnly informed. Dawn, upon hearing this, gave an audible gasp.

"Is he ok? Are you treating him?" Ash frantically asked.

"Ash, Torkoal has contracted an extremely virulent offshoot of the Influenza Virus that is particularly problematic for fire-types. Unfortunately, there is no known treatment for it. Normally, it would be merely a nasty sickness that a Pokémon could get over in a week. But the way fire-types work with their elevated temperature, the virus causes a feverish state which elevates its body heat far above normally acceptable levels. It can get to the point where it can be physically debilitating and in some cases fatal," the professor elucidated in his most grave tone.

Ash's heart almost stopped at the word 'fatal'. He froze momentarily, before nearly shouting into his wrist-mounted communications device, "I'll be there right away!"

Dawn's face of concern turned to one of horror when he spoke those words. He gaze snapped to the soaked window she stood only a few feet from.

"Good! The faster the better! I'm doing all I can, there's no quick fix for this. All Torkoal can do is fight it tooth and nail with his willpower. Having you there may give him the extra bit of support and confidence he needs to beat this thing," the professor responded eagerly.

"I'll need you to prep Pidgeot for transfer to the Cerulean Pokémon Center. I'll be there momentarily to receive him, and then I'll be on my way. In the meantime, please do what you can for him!" Ash instructed desperately.

"Will do! And Ash!" the professor's voice halted Ash as he approached the door, "Torkoal is strong, but he draws much of his strength from you and your confidence in him. It's good that you're coming. It's the sign of how great a trainer you are. Never forget that!"

"Thank you. I'll be there soon," Ash replied curtly.

As Ash ended the call and approached the coat hanger to grab the wind-breaker that hung there, Dawn grabbed his arm in a panic. He turned his face to meet hers and she saw the worry in her eyes. The blue orbs shimmered with water that threatened to stream down her face in seconds. Ash couldn't help but feel a pain in his heart. She cried gently towards him, "It's too dangerous, Ash! The storm! The wind, the rain... the lightning! You could be killed!"

"And one of my Pokémon needs me," Ash answered her plea just as gently. He touched her cheek tenderly and drew closer, "I have to help. Torkoal is strong, but he needs me. He's been there for me, and now I need to return the favour."

"But the storm! It's too risky!" Dawn wept, her tears flowing freely now.

"Dawn what if it were Piplup, or Lopunny, or Mamoswine. You would do the exact same thing I'm doing now," he put to her softly.

Her grip tightened on his arm and suddenly she threw herself onto him in a tight hug, sobbing into his clothes. She was no stranger to her Pokémon being at risk before. Her Mamoswine had been injured once and she had to care for it when she was unable to find its pokéball while hiding it from Team Rocket, not to mention all the other times the villainous trio had kidnapped her Pokémon companions. But she knew the stakes were higher this time. She heard the same words Ash had.

_...In some cases fatal._

The professor's warning echoed through her mind. She knew she couldn't stop him. He loved her, without a shadow of a doubt. However, he loved his Pokémon almost, if not just as much. She knew he had to help. It was his responsibility. It was his nature.

"Then, I'll come with you!" she declared looking up to him again.

"No."

"What?!" she shouted, nearly flying off the handle.

"Togekiss is not big enough to carry a passenger. It's dangerous enough, with one person on Pidgeot in this weather. My only other flying-type big enough to carry a passenger is Charizard, and he can't take this kind of weather. Besides, I couldn't bear for anything to happen to you. This is something I have to do myself," Ash explained quickly.

Dawn was on the edge between fury and understanding. All of his points were correct, but she was inches from not caring about any of them. She didn't want him to have to face this alone. But he would have to. She was so immensely frustrated at not being able to do anything, considering she held the same sentiment he had just expressed in her own heart. She felt her life would be irrevocably shattered if he were to perish in the storm.

She could only ask one thing of him, sobbing into his shirt, "Just promise me, you'll be careful. Promise me you'll make it through this storm and come back to me!"

Ash gave her a weary smile. The news clearly darkened his already bleak demeanour, but he was certain of this his reply, "I will. I promise I'll be careful. I promise to come back to you," he paused and embraced her, whispering into her ear, "I love you too much not to."

Her heart leapt in joy and seared with pain all at once. She loved how he said those words. She loved the feeling locked in every syllable. But at the same time, she fretted over how it might very be the last time she would hear it. He was about to fly into a hurricane and it tore her apart.

They took a moment to gaze into each other's eyes, memorizing one another's faces and the hue of their respective shimmering orbs. Ash's face was one that betrayed how violently his heart was being wrenched in two. He was just as aware of the danger as she was, and the thought leaving Dawn, perhaps forever if the worst were to happen, was painful to him. She could see exactly what he felt, and she knew that the grief was mutual.

So she had to do this. No matter what. Even if Misty was right behind them, she didn't care. She pulled Ash into a deep kiss whose passion rivaled the combined love and need of all the nights they had spent together since their first. Her grip on the back of his neck was crushing, but he relished it. His hands smoothing up and down her sides and back brought about a tingling feeling of such desire that she felt she would never be able to let anyone else ever touch her there ever again. But the feeling of their lips and tongues were the pinnacle of physical expression. He noticed just how supple and soft they were, and she noticed how hungrily his tongue sought her own. She wanted to it last forever so that he'd never leave. He desperately wanted the same.

Ash finally managed to summon up the will to release her and struggled to get her to let go of him. He gave her one last longing look that conveyed a melded amalgam of his love and sorrow. It was a look that nearly broke her heart then and there. Barely able to continue looking at his significant other for fear of losing his resolve, he put on his windbreaker and hood and ran out into the storm. She watched from the doorway as her love sprinted down the plaza and the adjacent street to the Pokémon Center in the distance. She could see how fierce the wind and rain was against him. He had to hold his arm to his face to prevent it from being pelted with rain, while his coat whipped all around him, barely affording him the protection its very name claimed to give.

"Good luck, Champion of My Heart," she whispered into the howling wind.

She closed the door, shakily carried herself back to the living room, and lay down on the couch face down, her face buried into a pillow. She wanted to scream so badly, but this was neither the place nor the time. She couldn't put more emotional turmoil into Misty's house. Not when the redhead needed peace and quiet.

"Dawn, are you ok?"

The blunette's heart almost jumped into her throat. She didn't expect to see her down here, having expected the gym leader to still be an emotional wreck in her room. Now here she was, viewing Dawn in her living room as the wreck instead. She didn't want to reveal her state to her best friend, so instead she grunted into the pillow and held back all other signs of her immense sadness and apprehension.

"I heard a shout come from down here. Did something happen?" Misty asked innocently.

Dawn almost gritted her teeth. That had been her that had shouted. She had been the one to force Misty from her room and now she was going to see the younger coordinator in a way she didn't want to be seen right now; not only because she didn't want to be seen in such a manner, but because she knew it wouldn't do Misty any favours either after what she had to endure.

"No," Dawn stated plainly through the pillow as she lay on the couch motionless.

"You're acting odd," Misty's tone changed from concerned to suspicious, "Spill it!"

Dawn didn't react, so Misty decided to take matters into her own hands. She forced Dawn to roll on the couch so she could see her properly. What she saw was not what she expected. Dawn's face was red, and her eyes puffy. It was still wet from tears and her mouth was in a frown that clearly held back and even more depressing visage.

"What the hell happened?" Misty demanded, noting the absence of Ash. She tried to restrain her anger but clearly failed.

Dawn sighed and her shoulders slumped as she pulled herself up to sit on the couch rather than lie. Misty realized that she needed to reign in her emotions if she was going to help her friend, so he took a moment to collect herself. The redhead took her place on the seat beside Dawn and held her close. Dawn let out a few sobs and Misty pressed gently, "Tell me what happened. It's fine, I'm here."

"A-... A," she tried to speak but involuntary sobs kept her from finishing the first word of her sentence.

Misty noted the way the word started, it almost sounded like she was trying to say... "Dawn? Where's Ash?"

The younger woman shook her head vehemently.

"You don't know?"

Dawn pointed out towards the hall leading to the Gym's entrance.

"So you do," Misty confirmed.

Dawn nodded.

"But you don't want to say?" Misty prodded gently.

Dawn nodded again, sniffling in the meantime.

"Did he hurt you?"

A shake of her head gave another negative response.

"What did he do?"

She pointed out towards the door again, this time with more force.

"He left?"

"Yes," Dawn croaked, speaking to Misty for the first time during the entire exchange.

"Why?"

"He had to," Dawn hoarsely answered.

"What made him have to go out in this weather? I told you both of you could stay in the house... I won't make you leave because..." she paused, almost shuddering in anxiousness at the thoughts that passed through her mind, "...of that."

"Not... to do with you," Dawn choked out.

"Dawn, I'm sorry, but you need to open up a bit, I can't play twenty questions with you all day," Misty stated, growing slightly impatient.

"Oak called," Dawn uttered, "Torkoal is sick. He needs to be there."

"Wait... so he's going to travel through this... to get there," Misty questioned, motioning to the water stained window.

"It's really serious, so not just travel. Fly..." Dawn gulped.

Misty grew pale. Ash Ketchum... was going to fly... through a typhoon.

She knew he was a daring –no, reckless – man who didn't think things through. But this took the cake. She didn't want to be reminded of how many times Ash had almost died. And now, he was ready to throw his life away once again.

"How many times does that boy have to almost ... no... ACTUALLY DIE... before he stops taking stupid risks like that!" Misty shouted, pacing around the living room. She came to a rest before the window and looked out through the streams of water to the darkened skies outside. It was only getting worse.

"Torkoal might die," Dawn said in a tiny voice.

Misty whipped around at this little nugget of information and her eyes narrowed, "Is that true?"

Dawn nodded silently.

Misty felt her anger subside quickly. More quickly than she expected, actually. But still, her mind churned with angry and frantic thoughts, _Of course he would do something stupid like that if one of his Pokémon was in that much danger. Damn big hearted idiot. I could kill him if I didn't love him so much. DAMNIT! No! Stop thinking about that! Stop! Stop! Stop!_

Misty's face twisted in confusion and conflict. She wanted to pull her hair out. She wasn't going to kick Ash out, but she thought his absence would help her recover from last night. She rued the idea that this was literally the only situation in which Ash leaving was torturing her even more.

Then her thoughts turned in another dark direction, _If he gets into trouble... I won't be there to save him. I mean... I know I wasn't there for years... but I'm close by now... I feel responsible for him again. DAMNIT! Why!? Why do I feel like that?! He doesn't love me! Why should I care so much about him?! It's Ash! Even if his dimwitted brain is capable of harbouring those thoughts, it won't be for me. I'm just a friend... a damned friend who can't even keep him from rushing out into a typhoon on the back of whatever foolhardy Pokémon that chose to help him!_

Misty almost felt like smashing something, but held her cool. Dawn still looked fragile at the moment. Frankly, so was the redhead, and she didn't want something else to regret on top of the heap of things she already had to deal with.

"Dawn... I'm so sorry," Misty apologized, "I'm so wrapped up in myself right now... that I'm ignoring your pain. Clearly you're worried for him. And so am I. I'm just so twisted over last night..."

Dawn, though still emotionally burdened, saw the small opening Misty gave as she sat down beside her. The two wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders and sat still. Dawn decided to see if she could begin the process to help. Maybe she would open up if they thought they were on the same level emotionally, "Did... you want to talk about it?"

Misty sighed deeply, "Not really... but it's probably best I do. Keeping stuff like this bottled up won't do me any favours in the long run."

Dawn tilted her head onto Misty's shoulder, "It isn't. But I understand if you want your privacy. Two nights ago, you didn't want to tell me about why you stopped talking to him. I'd imagine that you want to even less now."

"You're so kind Dawn..." Misty replied lowly, "I wish I met you earlier. I could've used a friend like you back then."

Dawn managed to give a small chuckle, "You're four years and some months older than I am. I probably wouldn't have understood when I was that young. That and, in a way, I was a lot like your sisters back then. So obsessed with appearance, fashion and stuff like that. And I sorta still am... but not to that degree. With coordinating and Pokémon in my life, there's so much more now."

"Oh, I bet you were never as bad..." Misty drawled.

"You should talk to my mother sometime," Dawn giggled.

Misty joined her laughter, but then the silence returned. It wasn't uncomfortable, it was just there. They needed each other's comfort, and regardless of whether or not speech accompanied it. The silence was helpful. The feeling of Dawn against her in their mutual hug, and the warmth it offered, was something she desperately needed then. Misty almost began to regret not having let Dawn into her room earlier. Then again, this wasn't just about her either; they both needed this. Dawn was just as broken up about Ash's courageous, if slightly foolhardy, mission to help his Pokémon. The comfort of the gesture they shared was clearly helping her as well.

Misty finally broke the quiet of the room, "I'm just gonna come out and say it... not like it's really a big secret now, but I should tell you all the same," she paused. She never imagined confessing her love for the raven-haired trainer twice, let alone in the span of two days, "I love Ash Ketchum. I've loved him for as long as I could remember. Even when he stole and destroyed my bike. I was so angry at him for it, and I never let him hear the end of it. But I knew he took it to help Pikachu. At the time, I don't think even I knew it, but later I realized that might've been the point at which I feel in love with him. Everything else after that just compounded it."

Dawn knew this was coming. Still, hearing it from Misty's own mouth still had an impact of its own. Even though her brain tried to suppress it, and was disgusted by the idea that she even felt the emotion, a small tinge of fear crossed her mind. The kernel of apprehension that Misty might try and take Ash away from her was definitely there. Dawn, however, quashed the irrational thought almost immediately with the knowledge that Ash loved her so truly and deeply that he would never betray her. He had given himself body, mind and soul to her.

"Even after he went to Hoenn, and I took over the gym... I still thought about him. I turned down dates, I abstained from anything that might potentially lead to me even meeting people that would give me the opportunity to forget about him. I was practically a hermit in this gym, only going out for food and gym business. I made sure trainers' visits and challenges were strictly business-only, so that I wouldn't have to turn people down. And I always thought about him before I went to sleep. Damn, I thought I was becoming obsessive," Misty began to spill her heart before Dawn.

"That must've been hard," Dawn empathized. She recognized a few of the symptoms she described. She found herself holding out for Ash's return. The only difference was that she had to face people routinely as she traveled around as a coordinator. She had to deal with the suitors and such on road. Still, she felt that Ash set such high standards for her; such that should couldn't even consider anyone else but him. But she wasn't going to tell Misty that though.

"Then came that phone call after the league competition in Unova. He kept a good face in front of Iris and Cilan, but he laid it all bare for me. How disappointed he was in his performance, and the fact he couldn't understand why he was going backwards rather than forwards. I wanted so badly to tell him then and there, to give him comfort in the form of my love. But something stopped me. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I thought it would be too much for him at a time like that, or if I was just being a coward. But I couldn't say it. The fear of rejection held me back, and only now am I paying for it. In fact, it might've hurt less if I had done it then. I wouldn't have had another seven years worth of shattered feelings to drown in," a tear fell from Misty's eye as she confessed this.

Dawn gripped Misty tighter, putting her other arm over Misty. The coordinator couldn't help but sympathize with the gym leader. Misty returned the gesture, such that the girls were in a semi-sideways hug as they sat on the sofa.

Misty continued to tell her story her voice growing unsteady, "I felt it was too much for me. Years of holding out. Barely a sign from him that he held any similar feelings for me. I know he trusted me, and considered me a great friend... but if he couldn't see through my mask to the core of my emotions for him, or even that small but steady trickle love that always seemed to spill from it, then I knew he couldn't love me. So I ended all contact with him. Tried to forget him. Tried to purge away the feelings and pain. Every once in a while, I heard something or saw something about him. But otherwise, I abstained. And after he went dark, I thought I might've gotten over him."

Misty pressed her head into the crook of Dawn's neck. The blunette felt the teardrops on her shirt. Misty's words grew into sobs, "But he came back with you. And the dam burst. Everything he did, the talking, the battle, the club. It all made me fall in love with him again. Or maybe it's that I never truly stopped. Either way, I just couldn't fight it. And I knew that I wouldn't know any sort of peace if I didn't at least tell him. So I did last night. And well... you know the rest."

The coordinator, still latched onto Misty as the gym leader was onto her, couldn't help but feel sorrow for her heartbroken best friend. Despite the fact that Dawn knew that Ash loved her, she almost wanted Ash to love Misty just so that she didn't have to see the pain in the redhead's sea-green eyes, or hear it in her wavering voice. It was a strange sensation to love a man and want her friend to be happy when said man was the common denominator. Dawn continued to massage Misty's back in a slow, comforting gesture in the hopes that she could alleviate some of the pain. The blunette knew she was at least partly responsible for this. Had she and Ash came right out and told Misty about their relationship, Misty wouldn't have made that leap and fallen to where she was now. It might've been a shock, or even painful to her to have found out. But this was far worse. Dawn cared for Misty so much, and it absolutely tore her up inside to see that she had contributed to this level of pain.

Misty gulped as she continued to get the rest of the story off her chest, "After I told him... he just said, 'I need time'."

Dawn put on a face of thoughtfulness and turned to Misty and told her, "That's ambiguous." Much like Ash, Dawn hated lying to Misty, but she had to appear as though Ash hadn't told her about it. Her reasoning was, at the moment, an acknowledgment of her knowing what Ash said might lead back to the idea that Dawn was in a relationship with him. And the coordinator knew that in this state, that would absolutely shatter the poor gym leader.

"It's probably a lie. He just didn't want to say no to my face. And if I talk to him about it, he'll probably just say something like: He didn't want to hurt me."

"Well... you don't know that for sure, for one," Dawn logically put forth, "And two, even if he didn't want to say it to your face... can you blame him. He just rebuilt his friendship with you. He cares for you deeply, that's no lie. But he wasn't expecting this. You've never said much about Ash when I came to visit, but what little you did say about him usually consisted about how romantically inept he was. He must've panicked, or something."

Misty seemed to acknowledge her words, and the pain lessened. The idea seemed to give her a sliver of hope. It left her with the hope that she didn't completely ruin her chances, and that at the very least, he still would be her friend. Her brain worked hard to process this in conjunction with the entirety of her history with Ash.

"I know this is going to be hard for the next little while... but remember, no matter how it turns out, you'll still have the respect and deep friendship of a man whom I admire above all else. Maybe even more than my mother. And that's saying a lot." Dawn finished.

"But will he ever love me? I don't know how I'll get over this. I've been pining for him for over a decade only for it to come crashing down on my head. I feel like I've wasted my life," Misty lamented.

"You never know. Maybe sometime in the future, he'll be ready. Or maybe, you'll meet someone else who captures your heart in the same way and you won't have to wait for him," Dawn tried to comfort her.

Misty gave another deep sigh. Her crying had ceased, as had Dawn's. Misty just looked out the window. The wind and rain pounded at it worse than ever, "Look at me... fretting over the love of a man who is braving this! I shouldn't be so selfish and worry about my empty love-life and worry more about whether or not he makes it, and if Torkoal beats his illness."

Dawn hoisted Misty up, something she found slightly difficult as the gym leader was almost a head taller than the coordinator. As she pulled the redhead to the kitchen, she assured her, "No need to worry. Ash has been through so much, he'll get through this. And with Ash at his side, his Pokémon will power through that sickness!"

Misty gave a small smile, "I don't know where you get all that optimism from."

"It's just who I am, and the friends I have," Dawn answered, the perkiness finally coming back to her voice.

"Well... I'm just glad I'm among them," Misty softly spoke. The smile on Dawn's face widened as Misty's own small smile grew as well.

Dawn gently tugged Misty hand as she began to lead Misty in the direction of the gym battlefield, "Come on, Misty. Let's tend to your Pokémon. They haven't seen you all day."

Misty nodded. Though Ash, the rejection, and now his mad task of flying through a hurricane were still swirling through her mind, she had Dawn there with her to help her through it. And she felt nothing but an excess warm gratitude towards her best friend. It reminded her of just how much Dawn had been there for her in recent years, and helped to reassure her that the sun would eventually break through those dark clouds that hung over them both.


	9. Chapter 9: A Trainer and his Tortoise

**Chapter 9 – A Trainer and his Tortoise**

"I'm so worried. We haven't heard a word for two and a half days," Dawn fretted as she picked idly, at her food. Misty and Dawn were having a late dinner in the gym kitchen. Dawn's appetite had all but disappeared since Ash ran out into the storm. The typhoon had only begun to finally leave Cerulean City in the late afternoon. By dinnertime, the winds had died down substantially and the rain was now a mere shower compared to the earlier squalls that pounded the city for days. Dark clouds still pervaded the skies above the valley, and Dawn's mood seemed to match it perfectly.

"I really wish we could call Pallet, but all the lines are still down and the clouds and rain are still playing havoc with the remote signals from my pokégear. They've only got to work today on repairing the network," Misty's low voice echoed between mouthfuls of pasta that she had cooked for the pair, "Ash is tough, and determined..." she paused as a smirk crossed her face, "and admittedly a bit smarter than he used to be. Legendary Pokémon didn't keep the boy down, I doubt weather will." She tried to maintain her positive outlook, but her face returning to its previous dejected form betrayed her doubts and worry.

"I really hope Torkoal's alright too," Dawn spoke quietly, still twirling her fork through the noodles, "If one of his Pokémon died under his watch... or even worse, before he could get there," Dawn shivered, "I wouldn't want to think about how that would affect him. He wouldn't be the same after that."

"We've, all three of us, have had to let go of Pokémon," Misty began solemnly, "You told me about how you let Ambipom join that ping pong league, May had to let Manaphy go to that Temple. I had to let Togepi, er Togetic, go. And Ash... well, a few he let go have come back to him. But Butterfree... it was the first he caught and the first he let go; and he hasn't seen it since. It hurts all of us... to lose someone we love. But we know they're alive and doing well. With this though, I hope never to have to endure what Ash is going through. There's a ... finality to a death that I hope none of us will ever have to know."

"It would be really bad if it happened at all... but worse if it happens now," Dawn mumbled, "He's still not over his tournament losses years ago, and it got only worse when he lost in Sinnoh a few months back. What's more, he still blames himself for letting Pikachu get so badly hurt in the final round. He's fragile right now; trying to rebuild himself to become the trainer he's been trying to become his whole life. I'm afraid... if this happens right now, it might keep him from ever getting there."

Misty nodded as she slowly finished the last of her plate, "That would be... tragic. It's been his goal for so long. Losing a dream like that... it's hard." She spoke the words, experience seeming to make the words seem more real. She looked at Dawn's nearly full dish and told her, "You should eat. I've seen how little you've eaten the past two days. It's not healthy."

Dawn nodded in affirmation, but continued to just play with her food as though the words had no impact. Misty went to wash the dishes while Dawn slowly but surely began to pick her plate clean of the pasta. It was when Misty was almost done with the startlingly large pile of dishes that Dawn managed to finish.

"I should do a load before I leave," Dawn recommended, trying her best to add some enthusiasm to her voice, "I would be a terrible guest if I didn't."

"It's no problem," Misty waved her hand dismissively, accidentally sending small suds to her side as she did so. Dawn took a dish rag and cleaned it up as Misty finished cleaning the last dish and put it in the drip tray.

They soon moved to the living room where they sat on the couch and turned on the television. They both scowled at the sight of the static as they remembered that none of the channels were working due to the storm having brought down the lines. Misty pulled herself up and went to the shelf adjacent to the TV and began scanning through DVDs.

"Any preference?" Misty asked, "I got lots of different genres. Action, thriller, horror, romance," though neither noticed one another do so, they both winced at the mention of that last category. Misty tried to end the pause as quickly as she could by finishing the list, "mystery, comedy."

"I'm not sure," Dawn droned, hanging her head back over the couch. She stared at the ceiling and began counting its patterned dots in her head.

"I think tonight's a good night for comedy," Misty commented flatly, "I think this one will do."

Knowing Dawn was feeling rather apathetic to her choice, Misty didn't bother to ask for her approval and popped in the movie. She sat beside the distracted blunette and began to watch. The film featured a member of a non-descript criminal organization trying to drive too fast down a highway, crashing, and giving the five passerby trainers (and their partner Pokémon) the directions to a buried treasure buried underneath a truly perplexing landmark: a giant tree shaped like a Unown in the Vermillion Coastline Park.

Of course the characters got into a giant race of sorts, with a few bystanders learning of the prize and joining in on the many levels of madness. Suffice to say, the movie was brimming with hilarity that even managed to capture the attention of the distraught Dawn, and even make her laugh quite a bit. By the end of the movie, when they found the tree shaped like a w-variant Unown, the antics of the bumbling trainers vying over one another for the treasure had Misty and Dawn in stitches.

As the movie began to draw to its conclusion with the final car chase, a door could be heard opening. Or rather it would have been heard, had the two girls not been howling with laughter. Soaked shoes stepped onto the welcome mat and were quickly ejected from equally soaked feet. A coat was hung quickly on the hooks near the entrance and a young man strode quietly down the hallway. The laughter rang out yet again, and he grew perplexed and curious. He continued into the living room where, at last, his presence was made known. The two girls turned their heads towards the new arrival and the movie was entirely forgotten. Even through the climax of the car chase that ended with a massive pileup, they didn't even register the telltale noises from the television. Each of them had their own pileup of thoughts in their heads as they beheld the soaked form of the raven-haired man standing in the threshold between the hallway and the living room.

"Ash..." Dawn managed to finally force out in a small voice. Instantly she and Misty nearly dashed over and hugged the waterlogged trainer. The three of them shared a deep hug. They didn't even care that his dripping clothes were now getting them wet as well. It lasted longer than he expected, but he didn't complain. He needed this right now.

"Ash... I'm so glad you're ok," Dawn mumbled into his chest.

Misty pulled back, which prompted Dawn to do the same. The redhead spoke severely, "If it were anything else. ANYTHING ELSE! I would slap you silly for doing what you did!"

"Feel free," Ash joked at first, but allowing his already shaky voice to grow serious, "I wish I didn't have to put the two of you through that. But Torkoal needed me."

Misty was reluctant, but knew the subject would be broached sooner or later. Better now she thought as she put her hand on his shoulder, "Is Torkoal ok?"

"I'm pretty damn sure he's the toughest Pokémon I know," Ash answered with a hint of pride, "Oak said it was not only a very harsh virus for a fire-type, but this particular strain was even stronger than most," Ash paused, looking up at Misty and Dawn's expectant faces. A small smile appeared on his face, "But he pulled through."

Both women exhaled in relief. Both looked on the verge of tears, and Ash couldn't help but feel right there on the edge with them. It was a trying two days.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Dawn asked quietly. She guided him to the couch facing the TV, whose screen now scrolled with the credits of the comedy Misty had put on. As they sat, Misty quickly switched the TV off, not wanting the rather comedic music to interfere with whatever Ash seemed ready to say.

He gave a heavy sigh as he sat between the redhead and the blunette. His mind reeled with images of the last two days. It almost blurred together. He began slowly, "Man, I've barely slept a wink the last two days. Um... so Pidgeot is a damned saint. I don't know how he handled those winds. Heck, I don't know how I held on to him. I'm afraid I might've hurt him with how hard I gripped him to stay on, but, seeing as he had been told about Torkoal before being transferred, I don't think he minded." Ash grasped a pokéball from his belt and held it before him. He spoke to it with the utmost gratitude, "I know I've thanked you at least six times by now old friend, but thank you so much. You have no idea what you've done for me."

Ash placed the pokéball gingerly on the table, as though he nearly worshipped it. The two girls knew he loved his companions, but clearly he regarded Pidgeot with even greater reverence than before. Misty questioned thoughtfully, "So no incidents along the way?"

"The wind gave us a couple of scares, but otherwise, Pidgeot was perfect. And fast... I don't think I've seen him fly that fast," Ash praised. He added, "And the trip back was nothing in comparison. Practically clear until Cerulean, and as you see out there now, just clouds and a light shower." He motioned to the window, where only a light drizzle could be seen falling.

"I'm just glad you're safe!" Dawn squealed, clinging onto his arm. A flicker of worry shot through his mind as she made this display in front of Misty. But he dismissed it, knowing Dawn could be plenty touchy-feely with any of her friends who had been through something like this.

"I would've run on foot to Pallet if I had to... I had to make sure I was there for Torkoal," Ash stated, his face growing dark again.

"It was that bad?" Misty inquired gently.

"You know... Torkoal is a pretty emotional Pokémon. Always eager, always fighting, and he likes to cry a lot," Ash disclosed, he himself close to shedding tears, "But when I got there... he was drained. No energy to puff smoke, no energy move... not even enough energy to cry."

The emotions already began to overwhelm Dawn and Misty, whose tears began to flow freely, and Ash's soon followed as he continued his story, "And his skin turned so... pale. It's usually this healthy deep orange. But it was... almost... white..." He let out a quick sob, "The Professor told me that this wasn't any normal version of the virus... this one was a mutated strain. It was already bad enough for fire-types. They have to regulate their temperatures carefully to avoid overheating. But this, sickness, caused him to lose control. It was actually hard to stay near him for how much heat he was giving off. The room Oak dedicated to treating him felt like a sauna. But I had to stay. No matter what."

"Ash... that's so sweet," Dawn cooed into his shoulder. She still gripped him tightly, and Misty's arm was wrapped around his shoulders, with her head leaned into his neck.

Ash continued telling the story, struggling as he went, "Last night, it was at its worst. He was barely breathing, and he kept breathing out carbon monoxide, so the professor forced me to leave the room. I had to watch from behind the glass as Oak treated him while wearing a gas mask. It was like some horrible nightmare. Eventually I grabbed my own mask and forced my way back into the room. I had to leave every half-an-hour to get a new oxygen tank, but I stayed with Torkoal. I talked to him, even though he might not have been conscious enough to hear me. I told him 'that he's fought tougher than this virus', I told him 'he fought a Registeel to a near standstill'. I told him 'that I would be there to help him all the way'."

Misty and Dawn could even speak. There was nothing they could say to praise the man that sat between them. He might've been reckless, sometimes dense, and obsessive with his dream; but he more than made up for those flaws with his seemingly endless capacity for compassion. They wept, but silently. They wouldn't dare interrupt his story with the sounds of sobbing.

"Oak forced me to get some sleep this morning, and told me he would personally watch Torkoal. I refused, but the fact I nearly fell over from exhaustion ended my argument pretty quick. I slept in what I could only guess was Gary's room. I didn't even really look, I just collapsed on the bed, clothes and all and passed out." Ash took a deep breath. He blinked away his own tears, having no use of his arms, with one behind Misty and the other held tightly by Dawn. He proceeded with his harrowing story, "I woke a few hours later. I immediately went to the treatment room. I couldn't get in because the second gas mask was being used by a Nurse Joy who was in the room with the Professor. He brought her in to consult apparently. When they finally moved from the front of him, I nearly broke down in relief. Torkoal seemed to be breathing comfortably, and some his colour returned."

Dawn let out a squeal of happiness. Misty visibly exhaled. It seemed like she had been holding her breath for the last couple of minutes. Ash concluded the clearly stressful account, "I stayed with him the rest of the day. I didn't need the mask after a little while, which was nice. By lunchtime, he was actually moving. By dinner... he actually cried to see me," he held for a moment, and smiled, "Turns out that fire-types recover pretty quick. Once they can regulate their temperature again, even the more vile infections tend to get expelled. Oak told me it has something to do with their how they dissipate their heat, and the fact that a lot of that excess heat carries out noxious gasses containing pathogens they normally fight off. Once Torkoal's body learned to fight it, it was a one-sided battle. But for a while there, it really... really gave him hell."

"Hmmm..." Misty mused, "Sounds like how you battle."

Ash let out a weary chuckle, "Yeah... well Pokémon do tend to take after their trainers... right."

"Then what characteristics does Psyduck take from Misty then?" Dawn joked.

Misty let out a low guttural sound, but that only intensified with Ash's addendum, "Now Dawn... you're implying Psyduck is dopey because Misty is. That's not true at all," he paused for dramatic effect, "It's his temper that he gets from Misty."

Dawn snorted in laughter, while Misty retaliated against Ash by taking her arms from behind his back and smacking him on the head. This of course drove Dawn to laugh even hard while Ash nursed the new bump on the back of his head.

"Next time, Ketchum, it's the mallet," she warned standing up. She walked behind the couch to go to the kitchen, tousling his hair as she walked by playfully.

"Message received," Ash loudly acknowledged, still rubbing his bruise.

When Misty was out of eyeshot, Dawn forcibly turned his head and kissed the bump sweetly.

"All better!" Dawn chirped perkily.

Ash drew close to her ear and whispered naughtily, "I can think of another place for you to kiss me to make me feel better."

Dawn giggled and slapped his shoulder lightly, "Ash... you are so... I missed you."

She looked briefly to the kitchen, checking to see if they were still clear. She heard Misty deeper in the kitchen and decided it was safe enough. She brought herself forward and planted a quick kiss on his lips. It was far too fast for either of their liking, but it was something they were grateful for all the same.

Misty returned to the living room moments later with a glass of orange juice for Ash. He eagerly took it and drank it down in a matter of seconds. He let out a breath of contentment after he finished and told Misty, "Thanks, I needed that."

"No problem," she said with a cheerful disposition, "Now if you don't mind, go change... your clothes are soaking into my cushions."

Ash reflexively looked down to the couch and realized his error. He instantly bolted up and apologized, "Dang it! Sorry. I wasn't even thinking."

"It's fine," Misty reassured him, "You've had a lot on your mind. Not that you use your brain anyway." She couldn't resist the playful jab.

Ash grinned and left the room to head upstairs. Dawn and Misty looked to one another, noting their wet clothes, and laughed. Dawn finally managed to comment, "Well... looks like we had it worse than the couch."

"Yeah... I guess we should change too," Misty suggested.

Dawn glanced at the clocked and noted with a yawn, "It's actually pretty late... we should get some sleep."

Misty took a look at the clock as well and arrived at the same conclusion, "Yeah. I'm just glad that these past two... nearly three days now, are done with."

"Don't need to tell me... or Ash," Dawn replied, clearly exhausted.

The two women ascended the staircase after Misty shut off the lights for kitchen and living room. They gave a good night hug at the top where they parted ways and left for their separate rooms. Dawn entered her own room, but Misty delayed slightly. She looked towards Violet's room, where Ash was taking up residence for his visit. She hesitated, but ultimately decided to march up to the door and knock.

"One minute!" came the reply from inside the room.

He opened the door moments later, dressed in his typical boxers and black t-shirt. The shirt itself was tighter than most of his other shirts, so it gave her a glimpse of what his body was underneath. It showed he was clearly toned, but not to what extent. She had to forcefully restrain herself from scanning his body too obviously, instead quickly returning her gaze to his waiting face.

"You need something Misty?" Ash asked pertinently.

"Um... can I talk to you?"

"Of course," Ash responded, allowing her to enter. She closed the door behind her and faced Ash, hesitation written all over her face.

"Misty, it's ok. You can talk to me about anything," he offered.

"Even... what happened?" Misty asked timidly.

Ash had to wrack his brain momentarily. So much had happened in the past days, and he was unsure of her exact meaning. With some trepidation, he tried to ask for a specific topic, "You mean about... my trip?"

"No... you said enough about that. I won't make you relive that again," Misty clarified, "I mean... about... the club." She struggled to put the words out into the open air. But she needed to. She had to say something.

Ash froze. He didn't expect her to talk to him about this, at least, certainly not so soon after the fact. He couldn't fathom why. And yet here she was, asking about that very incident. He cleared his throat and answered shakily, "Yeah, go ahead."

She saw his nervousness and tried to backpedal, "Oh. If it makes you uncomfortable, I can wait."

"No. Go ahead. I'm willing to help you through this in any way I can," Ash assured her.

_To be honest... there might be only one way you can help me, but I'll never force you..._

Misty reined in her thoughts, mentally scolding herself. She summoned up her strength and began lowly, "I'm sorry that I put you in that position. I-,"

Ash interrupted her, which elicited a knee jerk reaction in the form of a twitch of Misty's eyebrow. However, that annoyed feeling vanished at his next words, "Misty, never apologize for that. Never. Love should never be suppressed. You did something that many people never have the courage to do, and that was take a chance on it. And that is braver than... than," he struggled for the comparison, and could only find one thing in his mind, "braver than flying into a typhoon like a certain nut-job you know."

Misty's heart fluttered, and her face nearly melted into an amorous glow. She never expected that kind of reassurance from him, given his history with the subject of romance, and it was surprising as well as heartwarming. But she held her composure, if only just. Still, Misty needed to speak, "Thanks Ash. That means a lot. But still... I clearly put you in some sort of awkward situation. I don't know what it is, and I won't ask. It's not my business."

Ash felt a feeling of relief wash over him. Misty was being incredibly generous, given her feelings for him. At the same time, the guilt resurged in full force. Regardless of her gesture, he knew this probably pained her greatly. And he was right. She was still torn up inside. But she held together magnificently.

She ended her dialogue with a request, "But in the future, once you've had the time you need. If you find yourself feeling the same way about me... tell me. I'll wait. I wish I wouldn't, but I honestly think I don't have a choice in the matter. At least that's what my heart keeps telling me."

Ash couldn't help himself. He walked up to her and gave her a tight hug. Misty melted into his arms. She knew this wasn't the kind of love she wanted, but was grateful all the same. He was so understanding and such a great friend. Ash, decided this hug felt good. But again, he felt that strange feeling. That feeling he normally only felt when he was with Dawn. That same ecstatic pleasure at the contact between the two. He internally cursed himself for it and quashed it. He was committed to Dawn. He wouldn't let anything break that.

"I'm truly sorry that I'm the cause of all this," Ash whispered to her, remorse thick in his voice, "If there's anything I can do to help you feel better."

Misty, her emotions beginning to stampede around in her skull, very nearly took this as an invitation to kiss him. But she restrained herself yet again. She felt like glass was shattering in her organs due to her choice, but she knew it was the right one. She only whispered back to him, "Just... remember what I asked. And know that I'll still be there for you, as a friend, until then."

Misty pulled herself, if slightly unwillingly from the hug. She slipped quietly from the room quickly made her way to her own. Upon entering her small sanctuary, she collapsed backwards against her door in a mixture of relief and sorrow. She honestly wasn't sure if she could cry anymore. Between the rejection and Ash's foolish departure to and return from Pallet Town, she had likely emptied her reserves. She quickly changed into light blue pajamas and slumped onto the bed, lazily pulling the covers over before slipping with some difficulty into a dream-filled sleep.

Ash, on the other hand, did not decide to go to sleep yet, despite his incredibly tired state. He poked his head out his door to ensure no one could see him. He crept across the hall to the door labelled 'Lily'. Ash gave a very quiet knock. He didn't want to cause Misty to come out. Soon the door opened a crack and Dawn's curious blue eyes peered out.

"Ash!" she whispered excitedly. She pulled the door the rest of the way and Ash practically rushed into the room, grasping Dawn passionately by the hips as he pushed his way past the threshold. Dawn managed, despite the heated embrace, to close the door quietly. Ash pulled her into a deep, long, intense kiss. Their tongues found each other quickly and began their erotic dance. Dawn's body slowly began to weaken under his powerful attack. She wanted him, badly.

"Never do that again! Never, never, never!" Dawn pleaded as Ash finally released her lips, "The fear I felt over the last two days... it was unreal. Unbearable."

"I'm so sorry Dawn," he said, pulling her into another kiss, this time shorter before resuming his apology, "I would never want to do that to you. But... Torkoal needed me. And if I wasn't there... I would have never forgiven myself."

"I know Ash..." Dawn accepted sweetly, "I just wish I could've done something. I wish I could've been there with you. I wish that it never happened."

"If only life were like that," Ash spoke distantly, hugging Dawn tightly.

The sentiment did not help to dissipate Dawn's desires. One of her hands moved down from his neck, tracing a path down his spine, and gripped his rear. By reflex, Ash flinched pleasurably. In retaliation, he moved both his hands down to the bottom of her butt and squeezed both cheeks.

"Aah!" Dawn gasped. Her eyes narrowed mischievously and she pushed Ash back onto the bed. She jumped on top of him, pinning him to the bed. He made an effort to resist, but Dawn kissed him to stifle it. She pulled back less than a hair's width and whispered to his lips, "I'm taking charge tonight..."

Ash's eyes grew wide. Dawn was fantastic in bed, but rarely did she display such a forceful side. It was a rare sight for the blunette to completely overpower him. But when it did, Ash knew he was in for a good time. She ripped his shirt over his head, forcing his arms along the way. She gazed at his chest longingly before recapturing his lips and spreading her hands all over his abdomen. Ash's hands instinctually ran over her curved sides. They pushed under her shirt and felt her skin. It was so soft, supple, and heated beyond all belief.

Which is why it pained him to say the following words, "Dawn... Misty's house."

Dawn slumped onto him with a groan of annoyance, unfulfilled impulses stymied briefly. But she wasn't done. From her head's resting position on his chest, she began licking him. Her tongue descended down the length of his body, tracing his nipples, passing over the form of his abs, around his belly button, to the hem of his boxers. She began to tug, but Ash sat up and pulled her skillful tongue back to his mouth. As much as she wanted to work his lower region, she couldn't say no to his kiss.

He ended the lengthy kiss and almost growled at her, "You... make it very hard to say no."

"Because I don't want you to," Dawn purred lustily.

Ash began to explain himself as she began kissing along his neck. His moans began interrupting him as he tried to speak clearly, "When we do this... we're always too loud. Misty... can't find out about us. Not now..."

Dawn skillful ministrations on his neck ceased and her head came to a reluctant rest on his shoulder. What's more, he hand had been sneaking towards his boxers again, ready to seize the one part of him that would end all rational thought. But he beat her to it. Ash, the rash impulsive and reckless man who took risks at the drop of a hat, had been the voice of reason. Granted, it wasn't the first time. Dawn herself sometimes got caught up in things and Ash had to help her see clearly. But with both their passions at such a fever pitch, she never expected this to be one of those times.

"I hate when you make sense," she droned into his arm.

"Me too," Ash chuckled.

They lay in the bed beside one another quietly staring at one another with affection. Neither was saying a word. In all likelihood, both of them were picturing what they were doing to one another, in the absence of the physical act itself.

Finally Dawn broke the silence and asked, "So I heard Misty go into your room earlier. What was that about?"

Ash sighed deeply, "She apologized."

"Seriously?"

"Yep."

"Wow... I didn't expect anything so soon; and maybe not an apology at all," Dawn commented, surprise still gripping her voice.

"Same," Ash replied plainly.

"Does this mean she's-," Dawn began to ask.

"She's still really torn up about it. I can tell," Ash interrupted, "She told me to tell her if I feel the same way about her in the future. She said she'd wait. She said her heart gave her no choice in the matter."

Dawn's face drooped, and she nuzzled Ash for comfort. She confessed, "I don't know what to do for her. We talked about it a bit while you were gone. She's felt this way for you since shortly after you met and it's been torturing her for years. She wanted to tell you during your call after the Vertress Conference, but she felt that at the time it wouldn't have done you any good. After that, she decided that she would never have the courage to tell you, so she tried to end her love for you but simply cutting you out."

"So... that's why it was like that," Ash reflected, "I spent so long trying to get in touch with her while I was training in Pallet. So many calls and a few visits. I didn't even realize what I was doing to her.

"It's not your fault. The heart wants what it wants. You and I know that better than most," Dawn whispered into his chest as she snuggled up to him.

"And I only made it worse by coming back now. I wonder if you had told her that both of us were coming if she would've just made another excuse and pretended to be on vacation or something," Ash speculated.

"Don't worry about it. We'll give her some space when we leave after the contest, and then, when she's recovered, and if we're really lucky, found someone else to give her heart to; we'll tell her about us," Dawn spoke comfortingly.

Ash groaned into the sheets of the bed, "I better go. I'm just... destroyed. I've gotten maybe four hours of sleep in the last three days."

"Stay with me!" Dawn pleaded in a playful high-pitched voice.

"Dawn... I want to, but I'm afraid I'm just gonna wake up in the middle of the night, see you and while my mind is all groggy, I'll just... take you."

"I wouldn't mind," she sultrily assured him.

"That's the problem," he chuckled.

"Awwwww," Dawn pouted.

"Sorry... for our best friend's sake, I need to go to my room," Ash reiterated. He stood up, and Dawn stood with him, gripping his shoulders from behind and standing on the tips of her toes to bring her mouth to his ear. Her hot breath pressed over his sensitive lobe, causing him to shiver in pleasure.

"Might not stop me from coming to you in the middle of the night," Dawn naughtily whispered.

"You're relentless," Ash playfully scolded.

"And you love it," Dawn replied huskily.

"Damn right I do," Ash assented lovingly. He gave her a quick kiss, retrieved his shirt, and slipped out of the pink-clad room.

Dawn lay on the bed, curled up and covered herself in the bed sheets of the youngest Sensational Sister. She closed her eyes, and her last thoughts before drifting to sleep were of Ash_._

Ash finally re-entered the purplish room of Misty's second oldest sister. He donned his shirt again and collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to cover himself in the sheets. Unconsciousness took him immediately.

His dream was pleasant, at first. He was kissing Dawn hungrily on his bed, and she was reciprocating with just as much power and enthusiasm as he put forth. It was fantastic. She was just as vivid and beautiful as her real-life counterpart. It certainly felt real to him. But something stopped him. He felt something calling him. He looked up and saw a window with a familiar vista. Before he realized what was happening, he looked down to see Dawn was no longer beneath him. In fact he was dressed, in his bedroom at his mother's house. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder and pointed out the window. He could see the Oak Laboratory in the distance. The windmill turned slowly in the breeze and the sun shone brightly. He decided for some reason that it would be a good time to go visit.

He bid his mother farewell as he strode out the door. The weather turned foul within minutes of walking down the road. So he began to run. A Fearow cawed in the distance and he turned behind him to see the massive winged beast. It circled once before pulling into a dive aimed straight towards him. He searched for his pokéballs but found none. Pikachu was still running along the road to the lab.

"Pikachu! Help!" he cried out to the electric mouse. But Pikachu didn't hear him. He heard the call from the direction of the lab again. Ash looked back to the Fearow once more, and gasped when he saw how close it was. He ducked as the feathered monster passed overhead. He felt the rush of the breeze created by its passing. Ash looked back to where the Fearow passed behind him. It climbed back into the sky, but that wasn't what Ash fixated on. From the trees, a four-winged shadow darted out and carried Pikachu away.

"PIKAPIIII!"

"Pikachu!" he watched helplessly as the shadow carried Pikachu away from him. He could do nothing but watch as his Pokémon partner was taken. Another angry caw called Ash's attention back to the sky. The Fearow was making another dive at him, but this time it was intercepted. A blur of brown, white, red and gold seared through the air. It took the form of Pidgeot, who struck the Fearow. Pidgeot pointed to the lab with one wing before engaging in an aerial fight with the indignant Fearow.

Ash wanted to follow the direction Pikachu had been carried away, but he heard a familiar cry in the distance. It came from the lab again. So he ran, through the sheets of rain and wind that buffeted him. It grew in intensity as he approached the lab. As he ran, the call grew louder, even through the howling wind. He followed it, only being briefly distracted by several sights. On the fields before and on the hill leading up to the lab, he saw many of his Pokémon battling familiar foes. Charizard locked arms with a Blastoise while a figure with familiar boy with brown spiked hair egged them on. A vine whip-muzzled Houndoom was swung across Ash's path by his Bayleef who eagerly pursued it to continue the fight, while a brown haired trainer wearing a soccer shirt and gray pants looked on. A short, stocky, loud, orange-haired boy jumped in encouragement while his Metang crashed into Ash's Glalie with terrifying force. Infernape traded punches with an Electivire while a purple haired trainer called it 'pathetic'. His Sceptile dueled a Darkrai at the behest of a shrouded, blue-grey haired trainer. A flash came from his left as Ash noticed a short dirty-blonde haired trainer with an orange jacket snapping photograph of Ash's Pignite struggling to land a hit on a swift Serperior. Ash's attention was jerked back to the path to the lab as massive Tyranitar upturned the earth directly in front of the building as it stomped by, smashing aside any and all Pokémon in its way.

A ferocious cackle from atop the lab grabbed Ash's attention. The lightning from the storm revealed a thin figure in a purple vested jacket. Hovering beside him was a four-winged bat carrying an unconscious Pikachu. The man let out another cruel, high pitched laugh and took the unconscious mouse from the bat's mouth, striding along the roof and out of view.

Ash furiously burst into the lab. Looking for the stairs to carry him up to the rooftop, but they were collapsed under the weight of Ash's Snorlax who wrestled with a Hariyama, while a blonde haired woman in a black karate gi called out attacks. He ran through the lab, which seemed to be in utter ruins. He noticed out in the back where most of the Pokémon would be frolicking, was instead a battlefield of sorts. Bulbasaur was continuously vine-whipping a Dusclops while a brown haired archaeologist clad in green looked on intently, seemingly judging. Unfezant fought a male of its own species while a bubbly, red-haired girl in a skimpy flight suit half-watched, as though she were distracted. The soft notes of a harp caught Ash's attention as he saw a minstrel of sorts overseeing the battle between Heracross and a Kricketune.

He tore his eyes away from these battles and more when heard the cry louder than ever. It came from the medical lab. He quickly rounded the corner and his heart stopped. He knew this place. It was horrifyingly familiar. Ash walked up to the glass viewing window and saw two patient beds. Professor Oak, clad in a gas mask stood before one, obscuring the view, while the antagonistic purple coated man stood before the other. Ash could see neither patient. Ash, without regard for the consequences kicked the locked door open and entered the room in a panic. His eyes only widened with horror as he approached the beds. In one, was the pale and barely breathing Torkoal. In the other was Pikachu, who was scarred from marks of a high-energy attack.

Oak patted the shell of Torkoal dejectedly. He turned to Ash and shook his head in disappointment and left the room quietly. Tears streamed from his eyes as he collapsed to his knees. Ash touched Torkoal's slumped head but instantly withdrew his hand when the tortoise's skin nearly burned him. He wanted to comfort the ailing creature, but he couldn't even pet him.

He forced himself to look away, or only to find himself staring at Pikachu as he lay in his own medical bed. The little yellow mouse who wore a breathing mask and had several tubes and wires hooked up to him. The electric-type was barely breathing as well. The scorch marks and bruises on his body were indicative of a powerfully energetic physical attack. Instantly Ash remembered the match in Sinnoh. The cries of Pikachu's volt tackle echoed in his mind and flashes of the impact burned themselves into his retinas. Ash was only ripped from the guilt-wracked memory when 'his' voice rang out in the room.

"You have no power here. You did it yourself! I can see it in your eyes! You sent your own little friend to his own worst beating! And now, you'll fail, just like every single time before... you can't do anything to stop it, and the harder you try... the harder you will fall!"

The pitchy, obviously entertained voice of Hamill Jarrow echoed in his head. From his knees, Ash put forward all his rage and sadness into a full body tackle to where he saw Jarrow in front of Pikachu's bed. He missed, but not because his aim was off. Jarrow wasn't standing there anymore. Pikachu's bed was empty as well. Ash scurried to the bed, upturning the sheets to find his partner. But Pikachu was nowhere to be found.

"Where are you? Pikachu! I need to save you!" Ash shouted to the ceiling. He leaned into the wall, pounding at it with all his strength. He gritted his teeth and tried not to let out any sobs. But they came. He wrenched his eyes shut to stop the tears. But they came.

"I won't lose you. I can't lose anyone else. Not again," he cried into the wall.

"Ash."

The familiar female voice floated from behind him. It was gentle, soft, and caring. He opened his eyes slowly. He was no longer in the lab. He was at a crossroads in the midst of a verdant green valley lit by the setting sun. Four roads let away from this one point. He turned slowly and saw the person who had called his name. It was Misty. But not just any Misty: thirteen year-old Misty.

True to his memory, she was still taller than him, more than she was now. She was thinner, wore her yellow shirt with red suspenders, blue shorts, red shoes, and had her hair tied to a pony tail to her left side. He looked to himself in uncertainly, but that only furthered his confusion. He was in his old travelling outfit: blue vest, green-fingerless gloves, and black and white shoes. He quickly took off his hat and looked at it. It was the old league expo hat sent in a 'million' postcards for.

He looked at the younger Misty with his own, presumably younger eyes. She was waving to Brock as he was walking off towards Pewter City. He couldn't help but feel this wasn't exactly how he remembered it. It was different. But it felt right somehow at the same time. Misty turned back to look at him. That face. It was gleaming in the sunset. He wondered why he was staring. He wondered why he hadn't stared at it before.

"You know what you said before?" she asked her in her slightly higher pitched thirteen-year old voice.

"What did I say?" Ash asked, almost feeling jolted at sound of his own pre-pubescent voice.

"That of all the people we could have met, we met each other. That we were meant to meet," she quoted.

Ash remembered it now. Prior to arriving at the intersection, the three of them had been talking about that. It was a bittersweet memory. This marked the end of their journey together. He couldn't take this right now. But he felt rooted to the spot.

"Do you think it means anything more than that. I mean... it just seems that fate should bring us together for more than just... traveling together," Misty tried to explain.

"Well, it meant we became best friends," Ash surmised. The response felt automatic to him. He realized he wasn't alone in his twelve year-old body. He felt the presence of a youthful, enthusiastic boy; his younger self. But right now, 'older' Ash was anything but enthusiastic. He was filled with doubt and fear. The fear of loss.

"Then... why is it so hard to say goodbye. I mean... I just did to Brock. He's awesome and a wonderful friend. A best friend even," she spoke contemplatively, "But... I don't understand why it's so much harder to say it to you."

Ash was dumbstruck. Even his adult mind, in his younger body, couldn't manage a reply.

"What are we, Ash?" Misty asked seriously.

"Huh?"

"What are we? What do you feel?"

Ash was still frozen, mind and body. He tried to reply but couldn't. He just stared at her. That face was beaming at him with expectance, her short red hair blew lightly in the wind, and her eyes shimmered in the orange light of dusk.

"Misty... I," he finally managed to speak solemnly.

_This was how it went. She is supposed to get on her bike and ride away,_ he though dimly.

"Are you sure you'll be ok without me, Ash?" Misty asked softly, clearly disappointed with his answer.

"I'll be fine," he spoke, trying to add a sense of reassurance to his voice to mirror the events he remembered.

"Well... bye-bye," Misty said with a sorrowful finality.

"So long," Ash replied, just a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu gave his farewell too.

She climbed aboard her bike, placing Togepi gingerly in the basket. She gave him one last smile and rode away into the sunset.

Ash lowered his head as he spoke to himself, "Misty... thank you, I know that there's no way I could've ever..."

"Go on..." came a teasing voice. Ash looked up. He was supposed to see both Brock and Misty, but this time... it was only Misty, "If you've got something to say... just say it."

Regardless of his expectations, he was taken by surprise just as much as he was when he was that day years ago and jumped back in shock, "GAH! Why are you creeping up on me like that!"

"Because, I wanted to give this to you," Misty gently told him, offering him her colourful pink and yellow handkerchief.

"Misty..." he breathed.

"Here," she insisted, putting the cloth into his hands and closing his hand around it with her own.

The emotional impact was just as fresh as the day he lived it. He was on the verge of tears yet again. It was all so familiar, but yet the absence of Brock made it all too different. He tried to hold back the saline drops, and his voice cracked a bit. He quickly managed to force out, "I guess you should go now!" His voice was pained. She saw it, and he knew she did.

"Ok. Take care Ash, I'll miss you," she kindly whispered.

Misty mounted her bike yet again, and rode off. As she left Ash on the road behind, she couldn't help but quietly say to herself with her heart lighter than ever, "Well Ash Ketchum... finally I know how you feel about me."

Ash watched as she quickly flew down the winding road, heading down the hills into the valley ahead. His mind raced. He remembered what happened next, regardless of the differences.

_I'm supposed to turn around, run away, and thank them. I'm supposed to turn around, run away, and thank them. I'm supposed to turn around, run away, and thank them._

He repeated the words in his mind like a mantra. Yet somehow, the words seemed hollow to him. They didn't have the impact for him to follow the 'script' of his memory.

_Why am I reliving this? Why am I here after all I experienced? Why is it different? Why can't I do what I'm supposed to? It's supposed to happen again. Why? What does it change? Why do I have to keep it all straight? Why do I have to let her leave? I don't want to. Not this time... not again. I don't want to let her go. I need to stop her. I need to catch her! I need to tell her!_

Without so much as a hint of warning, Ash moved from his seemingly rooted spot in the ground and began dashing down the road Misty travelled. Pikachu was knocked off his shoulder due to the sudden movement. The rodent yelled his name in confusion and pursued Ash, quite surprised at his trainer's speed.

Ash came over the hillside. He saw the road on the steep hill below. It was a switchback dirt road, on which he saw Misty still descending. He could catch up if he cut across the sheer falls and ignored the roadway. And that was exactly what he did. Pikachu screeched at seeing his trainer make such daring jumps to the dirt road below. Ash did it again and again, determined to catch Misty. She was nearing the base of the hillside, but wasn't about to give up. Misty was about to return to the relatively straight and flat road leading from the trail she had just rode down when a blur dropped down in front of her.

"AHHHHHHHH!" she cried out in panic, hitting the breaks on her bike and nearly careening into Ash, who merely stood with his arms wide to act as a roadblock. Misty took a moment to breathe a sigh of relief before glaring at the reckless boy. She delicately removed Togepi and placed it on the ground before it toddled off with Pikachu deciding to go off to follow it in the guardian role he usually played for it. After this small gesture of restraint, she stomped over to Ash in a rage and gripped him by the collar of his vest.

"ARE YOU NUTS?!"

"Maybe?" Ash answered uncertainly.

"What the hell were you thinking?! I could've crashed! Togepi could've been hurt! 'I' could've been hurt! The bike could've been trashed... again!" Misty ranted, looking like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

"I-," he began to explain, but he was interrupted by the still exploding Misty.

"And you picked the most dangerous place to do it too! The side of a cliff is a great place to drop in on your friend navigating it with a bike, a bike she isn't used to riding anymore BECAUSE HER OLD ONE WAS FRIED BY A DOPEY, ARROGANT, RECKLESS BOY!"

Ash's blank face uttered, a quick, "Can I talk now?"

"NO!" she roared. She pulled back a bit, taking a deep breath after her fiery rant. In a calmer voice she lectured, "And did you even think about yourself. You could've broken a leg... or both! Or worse," her voice cracked at the last two words she added.

"Misty," Ash soothed. He was about to put his hand on her shoulder, but she pre-empted him by hugging him tightly.

"Don't worry me like that!" she scolded from his right shoulder and she gripped him with force greater than even his own mother could manage.

"Misty, I need to tell you something," Ash tried to assert himself.

"What?" she asked pulling back, but Ash kept her held close.

"I-... umm... I-," Ash stuttered. It seemed his childish mind was in control rather than his adult one. He had such a hard time acknowledging the words and the feelings. But he knew it was there. He didn't know how. He couldn't speak with his mouth, so he tried to convey it with his face and eyes.

The redhead's face grew wide in astonishment. She began to understand. He continued to stutter. She knew he couldn't speak them without help. He always needed her help.

"Ash... if I say it first, will you say it back?" Misty prompted, her face mixed with apprehension and anticipation.

He couldn't believe it. She saw what he wanted to say. But she needed to hear it too. She deserved to hear it. He knew that. So he nodded to her to answer her question.

Misty took a deep breath. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time. She didn't want to mess it up. It might not have been the perfect romantic vision, but with Ash Ketchum, this was about as romantic as it was going to get. She put her forehead to his gently and spoke so softly that Ash barely heard, "I... love... you." She said it unbearably slow, with the space between each word lasting nearly a full second. By the time she finished, her eyes were shut, as though expecting something terrible to happen now that she confessed.

Ash was ecstatic. He nearly fell over. Emotions from the past and present clashed with one another as Ash prepared himself to return the gesture. Now that she had told him, this girl who had supported him through thick and thin, this girl who had helped him grow from a novice who tried to fight an Onix with a Pikachu, to a top eight contender in the Silver Conference. But the words didn't spill forth like he planned. Instead he just leaned forward and captured her lips.

Misty's eyes shot open in shock, but soon fluttered shut again in bliss. They pulled each other even closer together. They never wanted to separate. This was too perfect. However, respiration won out over passion, and their lips parted.

"I love you, too," Ash finally croaked. Misty's eyes lit up and she pulled him back into the kiss. They had barely the time to breathe between the end of their last kiss and his declaration. Regardless, it was another lengthy kiss.

Without opening his eyes, he pulled his lips away once again. He felt her hot breath on his face. It was like fire tickling his nerves. He opened his eyes and almost died of a heart attack. The face before him was no longer the young thirteen year-old he had just kissed, but rather the twenty-three year old Misty. The same sea-green eyes gazed back at him, but did not have the shock he did. He managed a glimpse of his own hands and arms. They were those of his older self. He was so confused. Misty either didn't notice or care about Ash's state of mind as she pulled him back in again and he felt her everywhere. Her lips were just as pleasant as they were in his first kiss with her. Her bust pressed against his chest and his heart beat even faster. Instinctively, he pressed his hips to her and his hands travelled to her waist. The contact of their legs and hips was one of the most pleasurable sensations he ever felt.

"I love you, Ash," the voice of the now-adult Misty spoke to him.

Without hesitation, Ash breathlessly replied, "I love you too, Misty."

They fell onto a bed that he didn't even know was there and she was on top of him. Her fit body kept him down as wriggled on top of him. Her lips moved about his face, from his face, to cheeks, down to his neck. Her touch caused pulses of warmth to spread from the point of impact through his veins to the rest of his body. Instinctively, he ran one hand through her luxurious red locks while another flowed gently down her vertebrae, halting only once it reached the hem of her shirt.

"Ash..."

"Misty..."

"Ash..." she kept repeating. She said it over and over, between every single kiss. He loved it.

"Ash..."

She vanished, but he still heard the words. A pounding noise assaulted his mind.

"Ash!"

His eyes snapped open. There was a loud, thud-like set of knocks at his door. He was in Violet's bed. Misty's voice emanated from the other side of the door.

"Get your lazy butt up! Breakfast is getting cold!"

Ash groaned loudly to let Misty know he heard. The knocking and calling stopped and he heard footsteps fading down the hall. For the first time in his memory, the idea of food gave him no incentive to move. Ash could only sit up and think. Most dreams left him soon after he awoke. But this one stuck around. It was rooted in his consciousness. It was crushing him under the weight. He wanted to dive back under the covers and stay there until he died. He felt horrible, but somehow wonderful at the same time. The guilt tore at him like a ravenous beast, even through the vaguely pleasant memories that prompted it. The feelings from before could be dismissed. They were small, and could explained away with platonic feelings and her absence from his life. But this was different. Dreams were one thing. But this was maddening. It was so vivid. He remembered every second. He buckled under the realization that he relished every moment of the subconscious imagery. He could no longer deny it.

He loved Misty.

He loved two women.


	10. Chapter 10: A Redhead Head-to-Head

**A/N: Once again, minor lemon warning at the conclusion of the chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 10 – A Redhead Head-to-Head**

With two days left until the contest, Dawn realized just how little she had been training. She had many perfectly legitimate excuses, considering all that had happened in the last three days. The storm itself prevented her from training outside, and the only large indoor area that could be used for training was the pool arena. But it was more than the inconvenience of lacking a place to train that kept her from concentrating on perfecting her contest moves. The emotions that had been surging through the dual gym/household had kept her in a state of mind that did not lend itself to the kind of practice she needed.

The day she chose to begin training was the day after Ash's return, and as such, the feelings still felt fresh in her mind. Regardless, she decided that the worst of it had passed by. Besides, the contest was in a mere forty-eight hours, and she had to get to work.

She stood on the still slightly damp grass of the gym's rear property. It served as a semi-backyard though it was more or less untended by the gym leader. The grass was long and the area held no real features man-made or otherwise. The only thing of note was the half-buried stepping stones that led from the street to the back door of the gym. It was ideal though, since it was clear and she would have plenty of room to train.

"Ok! Piplup let's practice!" Dawn cheered, turning to her first Pokémon. The little blue penguin tapped his chest with pride and stepped forward eagerly. "Ok! Try that focused protect that we've working on!"

Piplup held his stubby wings above his head and conjured the green protect sphere. Initially it covered his entire body, but Piplup focused, his gaze burning with intensity. Eventually the edges of the sphere pulled out from beneath the blue penguin until it resembled a half-shell above his head.

"Great! Take a moment and rest, then we'll try again with one hand!" Dawn encouraged.

Piplup nodded determinedly, and sat down to catch his breath.

"That's a pretty strong protect," a kindly voice spoke from behind her.

Dawn swung around in surprise. She had gotten up pretty early to get a head start on the training since she had neglected to do so during the rest of the visit, so she didn't expect anyone to see her, much less come check up on her. Misty stood in a light blue housecoat, a cup of coffee in hand.

"Oh... I hope I didn't wake you!" Dawn apologized immediately.

"Oh, I'm always up this early. With all I have to do with the gym, it's practically a requirement. The only person I knew who got up earlier than me was Brock," Misty reassured her best friend.

"Hah! Yeah, I remember back when I traveled with him. That guy was always up at the crack of dawn," the blunette recalled fondly.

"Besides, you need to have early risers to offset people like Ash who sleep till noon. I'll never understand how he can sleep so much. It's not like he parties all night," Misty joked.

"Yeah, I find myself having to give him a good shake in order to get him out of the bed," Dawn piled on. Though her ribbing of Ash was purely comedic, her mind traveled to slightly naughtier thoughts immediately afterwards. She hid the dirty smile that threatened to overtake her face as she continued to talk to Misty, "I'm actually not up this early usually. I need to get some extra training in. I've been slacking the past few days."

"Considering what's been happening, I couldn't blame you. I'm actually going to keep the gym closed. There won't be as many trainers immediately after the storm, and I'd rather start scheduling matches again once I can actually use the gym phone again. The lines are still down this morning," Misty divulged, staring off towards the ocean in the distance.

Dawn followed her friend's gaze to the ocean, nearly shoulder to shoulder with Misty. Though it wasn't as nice a view as it was from the beach or the lighthouse on the cliff overlooking the bay, it was still a pleasant sight in the early morning. It actually held her gaze strongly enough that she nearly failed to notice Misty trod back through the thick grasses to the back door of the gym. The redhead spoke as she went, "I'll work on some breakfast for us and 'Lazybones' Ketchum. Maybe the smell will wake him up."

Dawn giggled and added, "I'm not sure which is going to win, his voracious appetite, or his heavy-headed sleeping habit."

"If there was ever a battle of the unstoppable force and the immovable object... that would be it," Misty called back sarcastically, quite pleased with Dawn's response, all the while slipping in another good-natured jab at Ash.

Dawn smiled and turned her attention back to Piplup who now stood, impatiently looking at his trainer. Her grin turned into a frown and she admitted to her partner, "I know! I know! No more delays, let's perfect the move! This time try it with one hand!"

Inside the adjacent building, Misty divided her time between managing the breakfast she was cooking and watching Dawn practice her moves through the window. She had heard of and even watched a few contests, but she couldn't grasp why Dawn wanted a protect attack focused in such a manner. When she heard the sizzling of the contents of the breakfast in the frying pan, she set aside her curiosity for the moment and went to attend to the breakfast which, if left longer would likely burst into flames.

She removed the pan from the heating element of her stove and turned it off, letting it simmer whilst she turned her attention back to Dawn's practice. She had moved on from her use of protect, and now had Piplup practicing his drill peck. Misty marveled at how powerful the attack looked. Piplup spun incredibly fast, nearly as fast as Squirtle's rapid spin. What caught her eye was how Piplup managed to focus such energy into his beak during his attack that it lengthened and even began to glow pure white. Misty had to admire the time and skill that Dawn put into her contest training. Tomboyish as she was, Misty could appreciate and admire the beauty of Pokémon and the contests they participated in. In the few instances where she watched or witnessed Dawn in a competition, she couldn't help but watch in awe of the spectacular works of art that the coordinator unveiled through her companions. It even made the redhead wonder if contests had been introduced to Kanto earlier, if she would have taken that path versus her quest to become a Water Pokémon master.

But she loved her own dream just the same, and wouldn't have it any other way. Though sometimes she fathomed other paths in life, but couldn't imagine it without the elegance and pristine charm of water-types. She only wished she could get out and experience more of it. She noted that her breakfast had cooled and prepared a side of cereal along with three glasses of orange juice. The table was set not long after, and she decided that she should go fetch the raven-haired sleepyhead.

She ascended the stairway, making no effort to quiet her footfalls like she had earlier. She figured every stomp would bring Ash that much closer to the land of the waking, and if that didn't work, some hard knocks on his door would. When she heard no discernible movement from within her sister's room, she began to knock.

"Ash!"

She repeated the series of knocks, trying to be as loud and jarring as she could, "Ash!"

She still heard nothing, so she persisted, calling his name out several times and continuing to pound the door, "Get your lazy butt up! Your breakfast is getting cold!"

Through the door, she heard a muffled groan. She knew she had succeeded, so she walked back down the hall. Granted there was a chance he would fall back asleep immediately –she knew this from experience – it was more than likely he would soon arrive for breakfast. She thought back to the quip she had made earlier and chuckled, muttering to herself, "The battle begins."

After quickly ducking into her room to change into actual clothes consisting of a plain yellow shirt and pair of faded jean shorts, she made her way back downstairs to the welcoming scent of her breakfast. Remembering that she had yet to fetch Dawn, Misty went to the back door, situated in the corner of the living room near threshold of the kitchen and poked her head out.

She began to shout to her friend , "Dawn! Come on in! Breakfast is re-," she trailed off. Dawn was speaking vibrantly to another red-haired girl. Misty saw she was taller than the blunette, but estimated that she was not as tall as either herself or Ash. Her hair was short, but full, and had a pair of sunglasses tucked into the front of its curls. She was very thin, but still proportioned with a small if still noticeable bust concealed beneath a scarlet sweater and a small orange vest that nearly matched her hair. She wore tight jeans which hugged her rear nicely and showed off her skinny legs. She couldn't see her face, but from the side, it seemed well-defined with a skin tone that seemed only slightly darker than Dawn's peach colour, though nowhere near Ash's tanned shade.

Dawn turned to see the confused face of Misty sticking out the door and smiled sweetly, "Oh Misty, I can't believe it! You know who this is?"

Misty screwed up here face to replace her look of dull ignorance and replaced it was a more pleasant face meant to greet the new arrival, "No, I'm afraid I don't. She a friend of yours?"

"I've told you about her last time I was here! This is Zoey!" Dawn established in a cheery tone higher than her usual happy octave.

Zoey turned her face to meet the Gym Leader's and Misty finally got a good look at her. She had deep red eyes which were very striking and sharp. Though these eyes were relaxed and kind at the moment, Misty could see that they carried the confidence of woman who knew what she was doing and what she wanted. The rest of her face only reinforced that sentiment. She had a small, but sharp nose, and her mouth formed an almost permanently smart smile. The name Zoey clicked in Misty's mind and remembered all that Dawn had told about her. Zoey was an exceptionally talented Top Coordinator, and had helped Dawn out more than once in her career. Now that she looked at Zoey, Misty knew that if Zoey was anything like the person Dawn had described, the gym leader would not have been able to imagine an appearance any different from what she saw now.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Misty was the first to offer a greeting, walking over and shaking the hand of her new acquaintance, "So you're the rival I've heard Dawn talk about so much. She admires you quite a bit, you know."

Zoey's confident face broke for a split-second as she glanced over to Dawn, then back to Misty. She replied in her low toned voice, "We share a great amount of respect for one another. She's always keeping me on my toes. I wouldn't be nearly as great a coordinator if it weren't for her always threatening to overtake me," she paused and her smile went from its usual half-smirk to a genuine smile, adding, "And it's great to meet you too!"

The two released hands as the shake ended. Both had a tough, tight grip and neither of them was used to meeting another person who could match it. They gave each other a quick, curt nod in affirmation of this fact which Dawn missed as she collected Piplup.

"So Misty you came out to say something?" Dawn inquired cutely.

"Oh! Yeah! Breakfast is ready," Misty realized quickly. She turned to Zoey and courteously offered, "Would you like to join us?"

"Oh! I don't want to intrude," Zoey put her hands up in a gesture of polite refusal, but Misty wouldn't have it.

"Oh! No need to worry!" Misty spoke confidently, "We have more than enough for all of us."

Dawn's eyes narrowed and she spoke with an odd put-off tone, "Since when do you say my line?"

Misty looked at her blankly, completely missing the point. Moments later her eyes bulged in realization, and she laughed, "Oh! I said 'no need to worry'! I must be spending too much time with you!" Misty continued to chuckle as she led two guests to the house, "Come on, before the food gets cold."

The trio of girls walked into the household section of the gym complex while Piplup waddled behind them. They strode into the kitchen to find an odd sight. Pikachu was eating from a bowl on the floor beside his trainer while Ash ate his breakfast from the plate on the table. But that wasn't what was strange. They saw Ash eating his breakfast at a pace that resembled a normal human being. This struck both Misty and Dawn as a sign of the apocalypse, as his pace was far slower than his usual 'scarf-everything-down-like-it's-going-to-get-take n-away' manner. However, neither of them had the opportunity to ask the obvious question due to the third party's voice calling out from beside them.

"Oh! Ash! I didn't know you were here. Been a long time." the deep voice of Zoey rang out in surprise as she saw the familiar Pallet-Town trainer at the table.

Ash looked up, his face rather glum until he saw Zoey and it lit up in recognition, "Wow! Zoey! I didn't expect to see you here!"

"I came for the Cerulean contest. Just got here last night," Zoey explained.

"That's great! I haven't seen you and Dawn battle in a long while!" Ash exclaimed, "How did you find us?"

"I was practicing out in the backyard and Zoey just walked down the street and saw me," Dawn described almost joyously, "Talk about your incredible coincidences."

"It really is," Zoey added, "I just really felt like brisk morning walk. I was forced to stay cooped up in this cabin on Mt. Moon when the storm hit. Now I can't stand to stay inside more than a few hours lately."

"Yeah, that was a pretty bad storm. Worst I've ever seen hit Cerulean," Misty commented distantly, looking out the window.

"But it's much nicer now! I could actually go outside and practice for the first time in days," Dawn pointed out, her voice brimming with optimism.

"You didn't get to train inside? Isn't this a gym?" Zoey questioned with a look of puzzlement crossing her face.

"The only battlefield we have in here is a water battlefield," Misty explained matter-of-factly, "I specialize in water type Pokémon."

Zoey's face returned to its normal, analytic look, and she decided to ask something that shocked everyone in the room, "Hmm... don't come across many water fields that often. Say Misty. Would you be interested in a battle?"

Both Ash and Dawn's mouth's hung open momentarily, the former's food threatening to spill out of it. Misty didn't seem too fazed by the question though. Before Misty could acquiesce Dawn asked her own counter-question, "You want to have a gym battle? I thought you didn't like coordinators and gym trainers dabbling in each other's domains."

Zoey's eyes travelled to Dawn and she quickly answered, "Well, that's sort of true I suppose. For one, I've kind of softened on the issue ever since I battled Nando. But more to the point, the Wallace Cup is coming up in only a couple of months in Hoenn, and that's a primarily water-based contest. I would be remiss if I didn't take advantage of a water battlefield when I saw one."

Ash nodded in understanding, "Good thinking."

"What's more, I would like to test myself against a powerful water trainer for just the same reason," Zoey added confidently.

"Oh, don't worry. I won't disappoint," Misty declared strongly. Piercing red eyes locked with sea-green as the two redheads sized each other up.

"But... can we finish breakfast first?"

As Ash's request broke the intense mood, the remaining people in the kitchen nearly fell over in exasperation.

"What? I'm hungry. Aren't you?" Ash inquired.

"Better get to it before he devours the entire pan I cooked up, not to mention whatever else he can get his hands on..." Misty drawled.

The three girls began to laugh at Ash's expense while he simply ignored them and tended to his growling stomach.

After a short break that followed their breakfast, during which the two coordinators caught up and the two redheads got to know each other a bit better, they decided to retire to the pool area for their battle.

"This is a nice setup, Misty," Zoey complimented, "It's less a pool and more an aquarium."

Misty's face was appreciative as she responded, "Thanks, it serves as the water Pokémon's main habitat when it's not in use for battles."

"Well, let's change that right now! Time for our battle!" Zoey challenged.

"Great! It'll be my pleasure. Is one on one good for you?" Misty replied boldly.

"I'm fine with that," Zoey agreed readily.

Misty looked to Ash briefly and pointed to the edge of the length of the pool, "Ash, would you officiate for us please?"

"Oh, umm... sure," Ash nervously accepted. He and Pikachu walked to his appointed position while Zoey and Misty took their places on their respective ends of the field. Dawn sat on a bench with Piplup in her arms, eagerly anticipating the battle.

Ash cleared his throat apprehensively. He found himself increasingly distracted by Misty, but remembered he had to be sharp if he was going to referee. He began, "This will be a one-on-one match between Gym Leader Misty, and the challenger Coordinator Zoey. No time limit, no substitutions. Choose your Pokémon!"

"I haven't had a chance to use you lately. Let's try this on for size! Go Lumineon!" Zoey called out proudly. The blue and black Neon Pokémon took shape and entered the water gracefully. It swam about, clearly glad to have a full tank of water in which to stretch its large butterfly-like fins. The tips of its pectoral and tail fins glowed with an ethereal purple light.

This, of course, enchanted Misty to no end, "OH WOW! I've I read and seen pictures about Lumineon, but this is such a treat! I've never got to see one up close! I love it so much!"

"Glad you like how it looks... but the way it battles is far more impressive," Zoey gracefully took the comment, but decided to return with her trademark feisty determination.

"Then have I the match for you! Go Seaking!" Misty yelled enthusiastically. Just the same as with Lumineon, Seaking formed in the air and splashed into the water as gracefully as its species was known for.

"Oh wow, your Goldeen evolved!" Ash remarked excitedly.

"Yep! And now we'll start things off!" Misty pounced on the opportunity, "Seaking, get in close!"

The large and powerful Goldfish Pokémon quickly coursed its way through the depths of the pool, locking onto its intended target.

"And we'll reply! Water pulse!" Zoey commanded. Lumineon opened its mouth began emitting waves of sound underwater which travelled quickly towards the charging orange fish.

"Counter it with supersonic!" Misty ordered, swinging her arm across in a motion to emphasize her tactic. It seemed to work, as the sound waves of the two underwater attacks collided and cancelled each other out. Seaking proceeded forward unfazed. It was quite close now. Misty saw her chance and aimed to capitalize, "Now! Megahorn!"

"Double-team to dodge!" Zoey quickly executed her plan. Seaking barreled horn first though one of the false images that had taken the fish's former place. Four more circled the now confounded goldfish.

"Take them out one-by-one!" Misty ordered.

"Not a chance! Gust!" Zoey retorted.

Ash and Dawn, who both stood at the pool's edge peering into the depths, gained a look of incredulity as they each said in perfect unison, "Gust underwater?"

Just as ordered, "The real Lumineon began flapping its fins at a frighteningly fast pace. A tornado formed in the pool, which then became a whirlpool instead. But it didn't remain confined to the pool. Instead it grew into a mystifying, if slightly intimidating, watery tornado that stretched from the pool's bottom to nearly touch the ceiling. Captive within it was the dizzied Seaking.

"Incredible," Misty marveled. She had never seen water used in such a way. Her captivation passed quickly though, as she realized she needed to act quickly.

But Zoey was not one to wait to finish her spectacular display, "Now finish it with silver wind!"

The black and white fish surfaced and began flapping its fins again, this time creating a force of wind that formed into flat crescents that cut through the air with a shimmering glow. It tore into the funnel of water and hit Seaking head on, not only throwing Seaking clear across the pool, but dissipating the gust-borne whirlpool in a shower of droplets that pelted the pool like raindrops and causing shimmering mist to envelope the field.

"Seaking! Are you alright?" Misty frantically asked her loyal fish. Her contender surfaced and made a nodding gesture before turning back to her opponent. Its eyes narrowed in fury while the Lumineon's smug face looked back. Seaking was not happy with its treatment. Misty decided to take a moment during the lull to tell her opponent something, "That was a fantastic combination. It's apparent you are a talented coordinator. But I'm a gym leader. My Pokémon are tough, and they know how to push through tough punishment like that and give it back twofold. Seaking, approach!"

"You'll find I'm more than just show," Zoey countered, "Silver wind!" Lumineon dove back underwater to line itself up with the approaching larger fish. It began fluttering its fins again rapidly, generating the bladed wind that travelled just as well underwater as it did through the air.

"Surf!"

Misty's order baffled Zoey momentarily as Seaking quickly pulled up from the waters of the tank and jumped into the air, a wave forming behind it as though being towed by the airborne fish. It soon caught up and carried the orange beast forward, completing avoiding the silver wind.

"Use water-pulse to disrupt that surf!" Zoey commanded. Lumineon aimed itself carefully and emitted the sound waves through the water towards the oncoming surge.

But Misty was ready this time, "Dive into it and use aqua-ring, orb-style!"

"Huh?" a perplexed Zoey asked quietly. A ring of water formed around Seaking as it jetted into the air above the surf attack. The ring quickly coalesced into orbs of water that spun in an orbit around Seaking as it dove straight into the approaching sonar-like waves carving their way through the water. The rotating shield worked like a charm. Each sound wave impacted on one orb, causing it disappear harmlessly, while another one moved into place to absorb the next wave. It did so until both the sound waves and the orbs were exhausted.

"Now supersonic!" Misty smirked as she saw her opening.

There was no time to react with Seaking so close. The disorienting waves of high energy sound echoed powerfully through the waters and impacted the glowing fish. It tumbled through the water helplessly until it crashed into the submerged slope of the central island. Lumineon began moving erratically, swimming in circles aimlessly and sometimes bumping into the various stones on the pool bottom.

"No! Lumineon, snap out of it! You gotta focus and attack your opponent!"

"I'm afraid this is done! Megahorn!" Misty confidently asserted, giving what she felt was the last order of the match. She was right. The glowing horn of Seaking struck true and Lumineon was smashed into the rocks by the more powerful swimmer. When Seaking relented, Lumineon floated the surface on its side, clearly unconscious.

_Wow... awesome match,_ Ash thought to himself, giving an impressed glance at Misty. Other feelings bubbled up again, but he pushed them down and focused on the match and his duty, "Lumineon is unable to battle. The winners of the match are Seaking and Misty."

"Awesome! Great job Seaking!" Misty praised, bending down to the pool to pat the jubilant fish alongside its dorsal fin.

"I can see why you're a gym leader Misty. You clearly know how to use the field and your Pokémon to the best of their ability. I can say that today, I have been bested by someone I can certainly respect," Zoey congratulated her opponent. The two met along the edge of the pool opposite Ash and Dawn, and shook hands respectfully, giving each other a firm and tight grip.

"That was fantastic. Such an incredible combination by Zoey! And such an inventive use of aqua ring by Misty! I don't think I could've thought of either of those," Dawn gushed.

"Oh given time, you would have," Ash assured his girlfriend, winking at her.

"Oh, you're too kind," Dawn blushed a bit at his compliment.

Ash turned to Dawn, so as not to betray his now loving face to the other two women, and told Dawn sweetly, "I can never be too kind to you." The two drew closer together on instinct, but quickly halted as they heard the footfalls of the approaching redheaded trainers.

"Well, what did you guys think of our match?" Misty asked, her tone filled with pride.

"It was beautiful," Dawn lavished them both with praise, "That... water tornado, I guess you would call it, was fantastic, and the silver wind that dispersed it into that downpour was magnificent. And Misty's use of aqua ring as a sort of pulse shield was unbelievable."

"Pulse-shield... I like the sound of that," Ash mused. He quickly snapped out of his imagination and offered his congratulations, "That was a great battle both of you. It was as good as my battle against her."

"Oh you battled her recently?" one of Zoey's eyebrows rose, "How'd that go?"

"It was a three-on-three match," Ash recounted, "It was one of the hardest matches we ever fought, and we used only water types, just like you did. We actually ended up tying."

Dawn's eyes widened and she realized something important, "Oh! Zoey! You didn't get to see it. It was fantastic. Ash's Squirtle pulled off the most amazing combination of hydro pump and rapid spin. He called it 'Hydro Disc' and it was like he created a spinning blade of water. I've seen anything so fearsome since Wallace's exhibition at his competition two years ago."

"Sounds pretty cool," Zoey remarked, "Since when did you start infusing dazzling attacks into your battles Ash?"

"Umm... It really wasn't a conscious decision. I just saw the situation and how it needed to be overcome. Misty's Psyduck was giving me a heck of a hard time which its psychic attacks, so I needed something exceptionally powerful to get through it. In the end, it was the clash of that move and Psyduck's zen headbutt that ended up causing the tie." Ash revealed sheepishly.

"Wow... must be a powerful Psyduck to repel an attack like that," an impressed look graced Zoey's features as she glanced back to Misty.

"Well, Psyduck's kind of an enigma. Ash was generous enough to bring out its full potential, otherwise he could he easily crushed me," Misty explained awkwardly. As if on cue, Psyduck burst from its pokéball on the gym's shelf next to the pool. The absent-minded yellow duck waddled curiously over to the group of four and eyed them all with its usual blank stare. The humans stared back at the Pokémon with an expectant expression.

"Psy?" the waterfowl quacked at them, tilting his head in apparent confusion.

"It really does look... and act strange," Zoey commented, holding back a chuckle.

"Ugh... you really have to work on your timing," Misty complained to her dopey duck. She retrieved the pokéball from among the others on the shelf and returned him promptly.

"Anyway," Dawn restarted the conversation, "Misty, Ash, I have a really great idea!"

"What's that?" Misty curiously inquired, narrowly beating Ash to the punch.

"I think you should both enter the contest with me and Zoey!" the blunette squealed.

A collective chorus of, "What?!" rose from the rest of the group.

Zoey was first to give her individual rebuttal, "Dawn... is that really such a good idea?"

"Huh, why would I enter a contest?" Misty's response came next.

"That sounds great!" Ash's enthusiastic cheer sounded last.

"Ash, are you serious?" Zoey asked dryly, "I know you may have a few flashy moves, but remember the last time you competed in the Wallace Cup?"

"I may not be a coordinator, but I've come a long way since then," Ash began to grow more competitive as he faced his naysayer.

"I don't know guys, I know very little about contests," Misty shyly admitted.

"No need to worry, I'll help you out!" Dawn coaxed to Misty, putting down Piplup, grabbing the gym leader by the underarm and leading her out of the pool room. They completely ignored Zoey and Ash's growing argument.

"Come on, Ash!" Zoey protested, "I know your battle skills are hard to match, that's fair. But contests are more about showing the elegance and beauty of your Pokémon."

"I'm perfectly aware of that Zoey!" Ash countered, his voice growing in volume and intensity, "But I've spent a lot of time with coordinators over the years. Especially lately, with Dawn."

"What do you know about Dawn's technique? Can you even replicate it? Besides. It's not about emulating a coordinator you happen to know. It's about showcasing each individual Pokémon and its traits," Zoey lectured sourly.

"In league battles, it's much the same way! Each Pokémon, even within a given species has different personalities and traits. It's those traits that define them, and those traits I rely upon in battles. I don't force a Pokémon into fighting in a style that doesn't suit its nature. I have, and have had," Ash quickly amended, remembering Aipom, "Pokémon that are quite well suited for appeals and contest battles. But since I'm not a competitor in that particular field, I dictate the battles in such a way that they fight as if it were a contest rather than a battle."

Ash's lengthy retort threw Zoey off-balance. This certainly wasn't the Ash she knew. Or least she hadn't seen this side of him before. She knew Ash was always enthusiastic for battles and often pulled off some crazy tricks at the last moment. But she never knew this strategically-minded and perceptive side even existed.

Her mind managed to work around this development and she finally relented, "Fine. Enter the contest. But do coordinators a favour and actually try and perform like one. I made an exception for Nando, but that's because he proved himself. Don't just keep taking Dawn's tricks and tweak them. Come up with something yourself."

"Then, I'll do just that!" Ash returned, jumping at the challenge.

"I sure hope so. The contest is going to be short on talent. I checked the Contest Hall. It's got very few entries due to the storm having kept people away," Zoey bitterly added, walking out into the hall and down towards the living room. Ash merely stood there, contemplating. He certainly wanted to live up to the coordinator's expectations, but he wasn't sure how he going to manage.

_How am I going to string together a good appeal in two days..._

_ Wait... string together... oh this'll be good._

The gears in Ash's mind ground rapidly as he dashed out of the gym and down towards the Pokémon Center while Pikachu dashed behind him, surprised by trainer's decision to sprint out of the gym.

* * *

"Dawn... you won't find anything in there. Just my usual day to day stuff and few semi-formal things when I go to Gym Leader Conferences," Misty whined, sitting on her bed with a bemused look on her face.

"Oh, I'm sure you have something. Everyone has that one thing. That one thing you hope to wear for something special... or someone special," Dawn rambled as she delved into Misty's crowded closet.

Misty was growing annoyed. She didn't like people in her room. Dawn had become the exception in recent years, but only because in Dawn's generous displays of kindness and willingness to listen. She had seen Misty's room through the redhead's private video-phone installed beside her computer and been there physically through her numerous visits. However, even the blunette was beginning to try her patience. The gym leader flopped backwards onto her bed and stared at her sky-blue ceiling. It was the same colour that dominated her room's walls. It was not a necessarily tidy room, but nor was it a downright mess like anywhere Ash chose to reside. Shelves and tables were cluttered with papers for the gym and various knick-knacks and mementos; including pictures of her travels with Ash and Brock along with those of the gatherings of the four girls from a couple years ago. One picture of her three sisters with herself stuck in the side with a bitter face stood nearly obscured by the rest of assorted frames.

Now Dawn was digging through the treasure trove that was her ancient closet. It was filled closest to the front with her daily wear, with a few more stylish pieces of business attire to the side. Further back though was what she feared to let Dawn see. Some of her old outfits from her childhood lay unceremoniously on the floor in the back, a few old costumes from Halloween and other occasions hung above those, and in the very back-

"Aha! Exactly what I was looking for!" Dawn squeaked excitedly.

Misty couldn't fathom what she had found that had her so bubbly. She couldn't remember anything that would strike her fancy, especially for what they needed for a contest.

"I knew you were keeping something beautiful back here," Dawn sneakily teased. What she pulled from the darkest depths of her closet made Misty's quake in fear. She forgot she had that.

"This is so perfect, it matches you exactly!" Dawn told Misty, her enthusiasm nearly turning to small hops of joy.

She whipped around and lifted the object into the open air. Though the cloud of dust kicked up by its sudden jolt of movement, Misty recognized it. It was a sea-blue-green gown. It glittered in the sunlight radiantly and its folds billowed outwards elegantly. It was strapless and sleeveless, with lacy trims running in layers from the waist all the way to the ankle length skirt.

"No!" Misty yelled out brashly, "Put that back!"

"What?"

"I'm not wearing that!" Misty reiterated.

"Why not? It's beautiful," Dawn queried with fascination directed at the dress.

"It's meant for... never mind, just put it back!" Misty demanded.

Dawn hung the dress from a hook on the closet door and sat beside Misty on the bed. The blunette took the gym leader's hand in two of her own and spoke softly, "I'm here to help... tell me what's wrong."

"It's... for," Misty struggled, "No, it's too soon. I don't know what I was thinking when I bought it. It was a lapse in judgment. A moment of weakness. I don't want to look at it."

Dawn's eyes widened at the implications. She felt incredibly stupid for not connecting the dots. She rubbed her hand atop Misty's own and spoke again quietly, "I'm sorry Misty. I didn't realize. I should've."

"It's fine," Misty returned, perhaps more harshly than she meant to as she stared at her blue and green patterned comforter.

"I'll go, this was a bad idea," Dawn relaxed her grip as she voice expressed sympathy. She turned to leave the room.

As her fingers brushed the knob, Misty called out in a voice more vulnerable than she would've liked, "Wait."

Dawn froze momentarily, and turned her head back to look on the gym leader who had yet to move from her position on the bed.

"If... if he can't be with me right now... or ever, I need to try and take steps to get over this... nonsense. This might be a good start," Misty's half-way determined voice rang out in her room. Misty finally pulled herself up from the bed and her eyes narrowed as she looked at the dress like it was taunting her.

"Help me get it on," Misty requested boldly.

Only minutes later, Misty looked at herself in her full-length mirror. She had bought the dress a couple of years earlier, and she kept herself fit in the meantime, so it still fit her. In fact it more than just fit her.

"You look stunning!" Dawn fawned, hugging Misty tightly. Dawn was correct in her assessment. It clung to her curves beautifully, but the lacy exterior added an elegance that a slimming dress could not hope to match. The lower portion of the gown flowed out gracefully, its puffy fabric growing outward more and more as it descended to her feet. She wore matching short-heels. Dawn just continued to marvel at the sight.

Misty was not convinced however, "I look ridiculous. When did they start making people in Kanto contests start wearing these obnoxious getups?"

"Misty!" Dawn scolded, "You look radiant! And it was four years ago, when I came by the first time."

"Right..." Misty blandly accepted her explanation. She still wasn't happy about being in the dress.

"Misty..." Dawn told Misty in a half-reassuring, half-parenting voice, "I know what you're thinking. It's just like you told me all those phone calls," she sat Misty down in front of her mirror on a chair she placed there seconds before. She retrieved a brush from a nearby desk and began pulling it through the tangles of red hair, "You always dismiss beauty because you always connect it to your sisters. You think you'll never be like them. In fact, you outright don't want to be like them. You reject the idea because you don't want to be shallow, like them. But putting on a nice dress, putting a brush though your hair, and even putting on make-up does not change who you are. You are Misty, Gym Leader of Cerulean City, and the most talented water-trainer I know-,"

"Besides Wallace," Misty corrected mockingly.

Dawn sighed, slightly miffed at being interrupted, but acknowledging her point, "Besides Wallace. But more than that, you are a fun, strong-willed, kind-hearted and naturally beautiful woman who I am privileged to call my friend. I befriended you because of those qualities and no others. Believe me when I say: no layers of lace or lipstick will change that."

She finished brushing the slightly wavy locks of Misty's hair and gestured towards the mirror, as though trying to show Misty exactly what she meant, "You are you, and you are beautiful because of it."

Misty felt a twinge in her heart upon hearing Dawn's words. It felt good for someone to tell her that. She hadn't heard sincere and kind words like that about her from, well, anyone. Not even her sisters. A smile crept onto her face and she gripped Dawn's hand without even thinking. Dawn didn't resist. This was a moment; a great moment.

Misty stood up, and looked directly into Dawn's eyes. She returned the powerful gaze and Misty began to speak quietly and softly, "Thank you, Dawn. You have no idea how much that means to me. After all that I've... we've been through this week, it's something I needed to hear. And I should tell you that I feel much the same about you. You've done so much more for me than anyone I know. More than my sisters. More than Brock, or even Ash. Even if you're not here, you're still willing to talk to me. And a person to talk to is something that I didn't have for a long time. It's something I'll always cherish." With that Misty hugged Dawn tightly. Dawn reciprocated and held her best friend tightly. It was a great feeling for them both. A feeling that almost transcended friendship.

* * *

"And that's how I managed to eat four plates of the stuff. Man I was exhausted after that day, so I really had a big appetite and I-," Ash was interrupted by sounds of two sets of feet coming down the stairs. He and Zoey looked from the couch to the stairway and he couldn't help but stare. Dawn came first and quickly stepped aside for the real sight. A gown-clad Misty stepped into the room, nervously cowing her head.

"Looking good, Misty," Zoey complimented, the red-haired coordinator herself having to force herself not to go slack jawed as well, "Quite the transformation."

"It's thanks to Dawn that I found this at all... let alone put it on," Misty shakily tried to misdirect the praise.

Pikachu bounded from its seat of the sofa and cheered at Misty excitedly, "Pikachupi!"

Ash had to try very hard not to stare too intently, but he knew he was failing in some regard. Zoey noticed this and smirked at his wide-eyed gaze. Ash managed to finally stutter out a compliment, "You look...uh... good, Misty."

Misty had to turn her head to cover up the storm of a blush that covered her face at the compliment. Though she was on the verge of shaking like a leaf, she was glad that she had that effect on Ash. She tried to downplay it with a mock insult, but it came off as a nearly playful scolding, "Ash, don't stare! It's rude."

Zoey chuckled at Ash's reaction, which was to immediately face in the complete opposite direction, leaving him staring the back door next to the kitchen. However, upon looking at Ash's face she noted something odd. It was a facial expression that made little sense to her at the moment: Guilt. It was plain as day on his face. She took a mental note of it, and looked back to the vision that was Misty.

"I'm so glad I found that dress in her closet! Now she can participate in the contest! Just need to go sign her up!" Dawn cheered in usual perky voice.

"I don't know Dawn... even with a dress, I know almost nothing about contests. And from what I can tell, Zoey isn't too impressed with the idea," Misty moped.

"Good to see at least one of you sees things properly," Zoey mumbled acidly.

"No need to worry! Zoey and I will help you train and get the hang of it!" Dawn chirped, interlocking arms with Misty to punctuate the point.

"Whoa! What?" Zoey's eyes bugged out at upon being notified of her conscription into this ridiculous act.

Ash's previous expression left and he looked at Zoey with an amused face. She gave him an annoyed glance before turning back to Dawn and explaining to her, "Misty can't be contest ready in two days! It's a foolish notion!"

"Come on, Zoey! Please?" Dawn pleaded in her cutest voice and facial expression she could muster, "She's got talent, and she'll use a water Pokémon, all of whom she knows exceptionally well!"

Zoey growled underneath her breath. Between her oddly logical reasoning and utterly cute appeal, she caved, "Fine... if only because the contest could use a few more competitors in light of the storm's passing."

"Hooray!" Dawn bounded upwards, forgetting that she was bound to Misty and nearly dragging the redhead up with her. However, Misty lost balance and toppled over onto Dawn. Misty lay atop Dawn, faces inches from one another such that they were staring unexpectedly into one another's eyes. Misty grew deathly embarrassed and struggled to raise herself from her lying position on the coordinator. Both Ash and Zoey had to stifle their laughter while the gym leader grew furious.

She didn't want to blow her lid on this new person she had met today, nor at Dawn after how kindly she had treated her. So she decided to focus on her traditional target, "KETCHUM! Stop that right now! This isn't funny!"

"When you're right, you're right, Misty. But right now isn't one of those times," he managed to spit out before dissolving into a pile of laughter on the couch. With the gown and her heels, Misty managed to finally pull herself off Dawn who let out a sound of muffled pain and annoyance.

"Remind me to keep my feet on the ground when I'm next to you Misty..." she groaned, getting herself off the floor after Misty stabilized herself. The gym leader scowled at Ash and began marching up the stairs in a huff. Before pursuing her, Dawn gave Ash a dark look which almos111t sent a shiver down his spine.

"Well, at least she looks the part. Quite appropriate for a water specialist, if I do say so myself," Zoey observed.

"Zoey..." Ash began slowly, "Please actually try and help her out for the contest. She's been through a lot lately, and I think she would appreciate it."

Zoey raised another eyebrow at Ash's request and answered with a question, "What happened?"

Ash hesitated a bit and his head lowered as he looked towards the stairs, "It's kinda personal for her. I can't tell you. But it would mean a lot to me and Dawn if you did. I know she sorta dragged you into it, but it won't hurt you any will it?"

Zoey's slight frown at the whole situation tightened into a flat line of neutrality. She gave a small nod and told him, "It does cut into my own schedule a bit, but I'll do it. If Dawn cares for her that much, well, I don't want to say no to a friend." Though her tone was stern, it tapered off at the last few words. Ash barely noticed though, only taking in her acceptance of the plea and then letting his mind wander.

"Thanks," he told her gratefully. He walked out the back door without another word and left Zoey alone momentarily. Zoey took a deep breath of relief, but her moment of relaxation was quickly stolen away when she heard the return of the footsteps on the stairwell. Misty and Dawn both emerged from upstairs, with the gym leader now back in her daily wear.

"Ok! Let's get to teaching!" Dawn cheered, leading Misty to the gym battlefield. Zoey heaved herself from the comfortable couch and followed.

* * *

The day drew to a close with both Ash, and the party of Zoey, Dawn and Misty exhausted from their separate tasks. They only met up twice during the course of the day, first for lunch where they caught up on their separate journeys and Misty's tales of trouncing novice challengers. The second time was for a late dinner when they all realized that they had been training for hours without regard for the time. Dawn helped Misty cook this time, and they ate yet another sumptuous meal for dinner. They spent some time together talking about the impending contest, among other topics regarding coordinating, until the hour grew late and they decided it was time to retire. Each of them went to their separate rooms. Zoey took the only vacant room left: Daisy's bedroom. Ash returned to Violet's room, Dawn to Lily's and Misty to her own.

Ash had barely the time to change when a small knock came to his door. He grinned expectantly as he opened the door. Dawn quickly entered, but did not almost pounce on him like he expected she would. Instead, she wore a somewhat peeved expression. She silently shut the door behind her and immediately began to scold him, "Ash Ketchum! What was the big idea? You shouldn't have done that!"

"Huh?" Ash completely missed the meaning of her words. He was somewhat confused at her behaviour now and during the rest of the day when they were together since Misty had shown them her dress.

"Misty was so nervous about being seen in that dress. You know she isn't that much into the whole girly clothing thing! Why'd you laugh so much?" Dawn clarified.

"Oh! That! Sorry Dawn. I wasn't laughing at her dress! I was laughing and how she fell on you because of what you did!" Ash tried gingerly to explain.

Dawn's lecture continued, "That doesn't make it any better! You saw how nervous she was! Anything could have made her think she was being made fun of because of that dress! That was just downright insensitive."

Ash gave a heavy sigh, "Ok... I'm sorry. I know that was a terrible thing to do. And I sincerely thought that dress was nice on her. It was just the whole you getting buried under her for that cute little hop thing you did!"

Dawn's anger subsided for a few seconds before she realized what Ash just did, "Hey! Don't try to get out of this with flattery! No matter which way you look at it, it wasn't right!"

"Hey I wasn't trying to get out of anything. I just can't not tell you that you're cute," Ash slyly whispered.

Dawn's defenses were beginning to fall away. The way he used that double negative was so childishly cute to her, and of course she loved being told she was cute. She decided to drop the issue with one last 'angry' order, "Fine, but you have to apologize to Misty tomorrow! And you have to be more sensitive about these things. When it comes to matters of outer beauty, Misty has a kind of... sore spot."

Ash nodded in understanding, "Of course, Dawn. She's my friend. I wouldn't want to do anything to make her sad or uncomfortable. Forgive me?"

Dawn decided to play the act of superiority by pretending to give the plea a long 'hmmmm' of consideration. It was far longer than she actually needed, but she loved to torture him sometimes. She finally allowed her smiling face to shine through again and told him sweetly, "Of course, love." She eagerly hugged her boyfriend tightly.

They had each missed the feeling of contact with each other over the course of the day. The appetites that had gone unsatisfied the night before became apparent yet again, and Ash kissed her neck in the hug.

"Ohhhh..." Dawn moaned out quietly into Ash's chest.

Ash took that as a sign of approval and permission to continue and he strung a set of kiss down to her shoulder then back up her neck again and onto her cheek. At last they locked lips once more and the power of surging lust washed over them like a wave soaking them after an especially hot day. Their arms travelled around one another's bodies, feeling and groping as only two starving lovers could. Dawn's nightgown fell away again, revealing her peachy skin of her petite form. Her eyes glistened with desire as his hands finally caressed her supple breasts, circling ever so softly around her areole, but never quite making it. The feeling was torturous, and she wanted to get back at him for it. She reached down to the hem of his boxers and quickly plunged inside, grasping his already stiff member.

"Ahhh!" Ash cried out, breaking their kiss and letting a sound out into the quiet room that was much louder than he intended. He briefly entertained the possibility that someone might've have heard him, but that concern vanished as she moved her hands along his shaft. It took him great difficulty to stifle the low moan that threatened to pass his lips before she recaptured them with her own.

"Damn... Dawn... too good. I'm gonna get us busted," Ash choked out between kisses.

She only intensified her treatment, which elicited another groan into her own mouth. When the sound passed, she released his lips to offer a retort, "Keep your mouth on mine, or keep it sealed. I've gone too long without your touch, and you've certainly gone too long without mine!"

She quickly resumed the kiss and he felt his boxers fall to his feet after her other hand travelled to his waist to dislodge them. This gave her only more leeway to pump his shaft with her palm and he growled into her mouth in response. While his hands worked her nipples now, she wasn't nearly receiving the stimulation he was. He aimed to change that.

His hands smoothly glided from her breasts to her sides, fingers tapping along the way to force a ticklish giggle from his girlfriend. He loved when she laughed, especially when he touched her. But now he was looking for a different reaction to his touches. And he knew how to get it. His hands stopped on her pink panties and pulled them down effortlessly. They fell to her feet and instantly his hand slipped between her legs and began to rub her slit. Now she was the one who had to restrain herself. She nearly let out a half-scream half moan that was only saved by her mouth being ravished by Ash's own. As continued to swirl his fingers around her opening while his other hand around to her rear and cupped one of her cheeks.

They continued to test each other, taking their lips away their opposites only to breathe and only when they felt like they weren't going to howl in ecstasy. They worked each other's nether regions feverishly. The back of Ash's mind knew this was a bad idea and so did Dawn's, but neither cared enough now. The feelings and actions held back for the last five days was far too much for them to bear. The brilliantly hot feeling in Dawn's womanhood began to grow as Ash's fingers plunged into her and pumped at a speed she knew was going to drive her up the wall. Ash felt that heat along with her running juices on his fingers while he tried to get his thumb to rub just around her clit. He didn't want to bring her to her climax yet. He wanted to stretch this out so that they were sated when it was all said and done. He, too, felt the building tension in his manhood. She pumped quickly and with reckless abandon, so he had to make great effort to not only restrain himself to give himself the same feeling of lengthened euphoria, but also to not cry out in sheer pleasure.

The session of mutual masturbation was coming to a head for the loving pair. He pulled himself away from his blue-haired goddess and spoke in words that were half coarse with lust, "You're so... ugh... I love you." He tried to add some semblance of finesse to his words, but he could only stammer out the direct idea of what he felt for her right then and there.

After their mouths briefly reconnected, she forced them apart once again to make her reply. Like his, it was brief and to the point, "Love... ah!" She had to bite down on her words partway through when Ash's thumb brushed across the bundle of nerves she so desperately wanted touched, "Do that again!"

They pulled each other into the most powerful kiss of the evening and began working each other to the point where they were just moving their hands out of sheer instinct. Her hand moved from where it had been caressing his chest down beneath her other hand and began massaging his balls. Unable to deny her wishes, his thumb began to rub her clit directly and frantically whilst his other hand rubbed that deliciously sensitive area in the small of her back.

They each almost screamed into each other's mouths and drew close together when their hips bucked forward in a symmetrical and timely manner. They each came quickly and powerfully, Dawn's sopping wet pussy soaking his fingers and hand, while his seed spurted up onto her belly, with one shot making it onto her perky breasts and the rest lazily flowing onto her hand and arm.

They collapsed into each other's arms, both their legs almost too weak to hold them up. By some miracle, they both managed to hold onto each other and stumble almost drunkenly into the bed where they fell sideways, never breaking their mutual gaze.

"That... was hard," Ash heaved between breaths, "I can't do this with you and be quiet. I don't know how we did it... or even if we succeeded. But damn you're good."

"Oh... believe me it felt just as good, and was just as hard for me. Maybe harder, you know how loud I get," Dawn cooed, snuggling up to her lover.

Ash looked into her eyes, and then allowed them to travel down her body. Then he saw the mess and groaned in annoyance, "Now we have to clean up."

"Your room..." Dawn teased.

"Half of it is your mess," Ash responded huskily, drawing her into another kiss. They began stirring up passions again, but Ash managed to halt the act this time though. He gave a reluctant sigh and told her, "I don't want to risk it again, because I know if we start again, it's going to be all the way... and there's no way I'll be able to keep you from screaming if we do that."

Dawn gave a pouty groan and nuzzled into his chest dreamily.

"And you have to go back to your room. Now, we have two people we have to worry about walking in on us cuddling, now or in the morning. Last time, we got lucky that Misty didn't find us..." Ash added sadly.

"Ugh... I know I asked you to be more considerate to Misty's feelings, but your body heat is making me regret asking that of you," Dawn whined quietly.

Ash finally got up and grabbed some tissues from Violet's nightstand and began wiping himself, the bed, and the carpeted floor. Dawn took the liberty of cleaning herself off, having mixed feelings about wanting Ash to clean her himself; half wanting him to so he'd lose his cool and take her again, and the other half not wanting to do something to lead to the destruction of her now even stronger friendship with Misty. While he cleaned, Ash asked Dawn to grab some air freshener from the closet so that he could remove the odour of their activities from the room. Ash sprayed it around the room liberally, not wanting any trace of the lingering scent to tip someone off.

When Ash was finally done with the cleanup, he took both of Dawn's hands and whispered to her, "Good night My Northern Light." He gave her a sweet gentle kiss which she returned, trying not to enhance it into the passionate kiss she truly wanted.

"And you, Champion of my Heart. It will not be a good night until I get to see you in the morning again," Dawn spoke softly and regretfully. They parted hands and Dawn slipped out of the room silently once again. As she crept across the hallway to Lily's room, she swore she thought she heard a creak from down the hallway. Both Zoey's and Misty's rooms were in that direction. She froze instinctively, gazing towards both doors. She heard nothing more and shrugged it off as a mere act of the house itself contracting in the cooler night air.

She stole away into her own guest room and breathed a sigh of relief, falling into her bed with a mind half in delight, half sorrowful. It hadn't been exactly what she wanted, but both she and Ash had gotten the release they needed. She concluded it was as much as they were going to get away with during their visit. She had wanted it so badly last night, and though she thought the urges might have subsided somewhat during the day, it turned out they were as came back as strong, if not stronger than before. She just hoped that no one had heard, as it would have dire consequences depending on who had been listening.

She crawled beneath the covers of Lily's bed and set her concerns aside. She was sure they had been restrained enough not to call out too loudly in pleasure. She decided to let the issue lie and soon fell into a deep and restful sleep. She knew she had much to do the next day, and the day that had just passed had been an exhausting one.

Ash found himself thinking similar thoughts. He hoped that no one had heard them, Misty especially. He didn't realize how bad his laughter had been that day and was already feeling quite guilty. If she heard, it would not only mean the end of his friendship with her, but also the one between Misty and Dawn. He knew that she cherished the friendship, and if their lack of restraint cost Dawn that, he didn't know if their relationship would ever be the same afterwards. Though wracked with questions and uncertainties, Ash managed to fall into a restful sleep as well. While Misty, Dawn and Zoey had plans, he had some of his own he needed to figure out the next day.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks again all of you for your kindly reviews, follows and favourites. I'll do my best to keep to the standards you expect and hopefully even surpass them.**

**Regretfully though, there may not be any updates in the coming week. Between Canadian Thanksgiving and a recent family tragedy, I will likely find myself both physically and mentally unable to give this story the attention it needs. I was only able to get this chapter prepared for upload because I completed everything before I was given the news and felt it wrong to let it sit for a week. I hope you find the patience to allow me to deviate from my normal update schedule so that I can return with the mindset required to post work that I can be proud of. Thanks again to all of you for supporting this story and I will get back to you as soon as I can. I promise it won't be too long. Happy reading.**


	11. Chapter 11: Reconciliation and Suspicion

**Chapter 11 – Reconciliation and Suspicion**

The bright midday sun beat down on the head of Ash as he walked down the sandy beach. The ocean glimmered beside him as he walked arm in arm with Dawn. She looked positively radiant in the sunlight. Her blue hair sparkled as though millions of tiny diamonds coated each strand, and her deep blue eyes were longing and amorous. Her smile was wide and enticing, and distracted him from her wonderful pinkish-white sundress that billowed softly in the ocean breeze.

She grasped his hand tightly as she pulled him down the beach at a near run. He followed along as quickly as he could so as not to break the grip. He could barely keep her pace as he followed along, listening to her lovely giggles as she told him to 'come along'. She clearly wanted to show him something down the length of the beach, but he wasn't sure what. It was only when he stumbled forward that he noted he was wearing not his usual clothes, but rather a semi-formal outfit with comprising of a white dress shirt, a loosely fitted tie, black dress pants, and loafers that were growing only dirtier with the sand he kept pounding with his feet.

His stumble turned into a trip, and he fell over, taking Dawn with him. She landed on top of him, and they both began laughing uncontrollably. When the laughter finally died down, she looked into his eyes as she lay on top of him. She quickly pressed down and paralyzed him with a kiss. He could only respond in kind, returning the kiss with the utmost fervour. He pulled her closer, afraid of losing her if he didn't grip her as tightly as he did. He wanted to feel her every curve against him. She must have felt the same because she made no resistance, almost melting into him.

"Love you," she breathed to him.

"So do I," he whispered back.

She finally pulled him up and she resumed her run, tugging him alongside. However, the very act of standing up so quickly left him feeling dizzy and he didn't move. When he looked up, he saw the most peculiar sight. Dawn was running beside... himself. There she was with his copy, joyously giggling as she towed him down the beach to some unknown sight they would share. Ash was at a loss for words. He couldn't understand it. He was about to pursue the pair so that he could interrogate this strange imposter when he heard a familiar, yet comforting voice.

"Ash."

The raven-haired trainer spun around, trying to locate the voice, but saw nothing. Ash felt his mind slipping. He was still slightly dizzy, and the strange sight of seeing his doppelganger run off with his love didn't help him to regain his grip on reality. He felt utterly bewildered as he traced a circular path on the beach, trying to find the source of the now repeating voice.

"Ash, I'm here."

It echoed, each time giving him an increasing feeling of familiarity and warmth as it grew in volume. Yet he was utterly confounded as to its location. He grew slightly frustrated. Soon, the thought of Dawn's escapade with his own mirror image faded from the front of his mind as he was driven mad looking for the call of the voice. It was feminine, enticing, and caused him to flash back to days long since passed.

"Look at me."

The voice was so close now, could swear it was whispered in his ear. He collapsed to his knees next in the lapping waves of the ocean. Frustration consumed him as he shouted into the sky, "Where are you?!" The shallow ebbing of the water soaked his legs and he put his arms to the sand in exhaustion, leaving him on all fours. Wearied and confused, he didn't move. He didn't even want to.

"Look at me."

This time he felt a touch on his shoulder. It was warm, welcoming, and yielded pleasantly against his own skin.

"Ash, please."

He saw feet move into his line of vision as he stared at the wet sand covered in moving water. The skin of the new sight was the perfect shade of cream, and soon saw a hand of the same colour reach towards his chin. It slowly tilted his head upwards. As his sight rose, the feet vanished, being replaced with the elegant folds of a lacy sea-blue-green dress. It slowly narrowed until he saw the waist. From there, it clung to the curves of a beautiful woman whose face soon came into view. The red locks of a fiery mane of hair draped around the perfect face of Misty.

"Come with me," the nearly glowing form of Misty beckoned. She gently pulled Ash to his feet. He was only barely functioning under his own power at this point. He was entranced. Hand in hand, they walked out into the ocean, barely aware of its moisture wetting their feet.

They kept walking further and further into the ocean, and Ash noticed he wasn't going any deeper into the now stilled waters of bay. He managed to break his gaze with Misty for a moment, only to gasp and notice that he was standing over waters deep enough for him to sink into completely. He saw a Magikarp swim beneath his toes before the gravity of the situation struck him completely.

"Ash, don't worry. I won't let you fall away," she soothed, wrapping her arms around him when he threatened to bolt away back to shore in panic.

"How?" Ash asked, his voice quaking with fear.

"Because it's us," Misty whispered softly into his ear. She moved her head from his shoulder and began bringing her face closer to his. He still wouldn't move, not even his head would budge. But she didn't mind. She pressed her lips into his and he felt a surge of powerful warmth and confidence rush through his body. It was invigorating to the point of becoming uplifting. Now he couldn't care less about the deep waters beneath his toes. He could probably float above the ripples now if he wanted. But that would take him away from Misty, and he sure didn't want that.

Their kiss ended and they parted slightly. Somehow, the day had vanished and they basked in the light of the sunset. She looked gorgeous in it and he could only feel bliss. It was the same bliss he felt before when he kissed Dawn before she left with his duplicate. When his thoughts turned to Dawn, the feelings of remorse resurged into his consciousness, leaving him wanting to sink into the waters once more.

As if feeling his emotions, Misty drew him tight against her again, grasping his face with her hands.

"This isn't wrong. I love you. I've waited for you. Love me. Please, Ash. Look at me. Tell me," her voice was both reassuring and pleading all at once.

He felt torn in two. His thoughts strayed to the shoreline, and he could make out the form of Dawn in the arms of his look-alike. Yet he could almost see her face as clear as day. His eyes returned to Misty, her sea-green eyes shimmering in the light of dusk along with her matching dress. Her red hair moved with every little drop and rise of the breeze that passed them by. She was a goddess of the sea and she wanted him. As much as he wanted to run to Dawn, he couldn't say no.

"I love you, Misty," he whispered to her strongly and with conviction.

"It's all I've ever wanted to hear," Misty's small smile grew as sweet words poured from her lips. They reconnected in a second kiss, and he felt as though he were drinking the sun from the warmth that passed his lips and spread throughout his body.

When his eyes opened from the kiss, the sun had disappeared and night had overtaken the ocean vista. He felt Misty's hand slip from his and he saw her already a good distance away as she walked from him unto the horizon.

"Find me," she asked, her voice nothing but a whisper, though he heard her as clear as day across the growing distance, "Tell me." She continued her strides into the growing dark of the new night that had fallen over the calm sea, "Love me."

Her last words marked her disappearance as her red hair was the last he managed a glimpse of before she melded into the shifting aurora of the distant horizon.

Ash closed his eyes, opening them again only to see the ceiling of Violet's bedroom.

"Not again," he moaned, turning his face into his pillow, taking his eyes away from the now partly lit window of the morning-struck room.

_I can't believe I dreamed of her again. This time in that dress. That damn dress. It's perfect on her. She's perfect. But how? Dawn's perfect. How can two things be perfect and yet different?_

Ash's thoughts rolled around in his head like so many unbalanced barrels, giving him more than he wanted to think about at such an early hour.

_And what does it mean? Walking on an ocean? Misty looking like a dream come true? A kind of... ocean dream. How can I have such thoughts for another woman? I love Dawn, I know it in my heart. And yet, the same can be said of Misty. I must be a terrible person..._

The guilt returned in full force, almost weighing him down on the bed, unrelenting and unwilling to let him leave. Frankly he welcomed the feeling. If he stayed here forever, he'd never be tempted by Misty, or have to hide his guilty face from Dawn.

_And what's with this... other me being there. What the heck does that-_

Ash's internal monologue was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" Ash inquired at the knocking which threatened to bring some news that would force him to leave his small sanctuary.

"Ash? Breakfast is almost done. Then we're going to help Misty practice more," Dawn's lovely voice filtered through the door.

Ash wanted to sink into the mattress and vanish altogether. But he forced a half slurred reply out of his tired mouth, "Yeah... up... minute."

"See you soon!" his girlfriend's cheerful notes poured through the door again. He heard her skip away as he retrieved a new set of clothes for the coming day. He knew it was going to be a long one. He needed to perfect his appeal and work on his contest battle moves. He had to move quickly though, because he had one other thing he had to do first. Rather second, after breakfast of course.

The foursome ate a quaint breakfast prepared by Dawn, who had volunteered since Misty had done so for the last five days. They enjoyed it, though of course the culinary exploits of Brock were brought up and they unanimously agreed that she would never be a match for him. This conversation led to Ash talking about Cilan's cooking and how he would one day like to see them in a cook-off. Once finished, they each returned their dishes and prepared for the grueling day ahead of them. They decided that they would help Misty for the morning, and then tend to their own efforts for the rest of the day afterwards.

Before Misty was able to evade Ash by returning to her room for something she said she needed, Ash managed to get her attention.

"Misty!"

The redhead turned to Ash and glowered at him. She still wasn't terribly happy with the man for his rudeness the day prior. She turned to ascend the staircase when Ash decided to just spit it out, "I'm very sorry for laughing and what I said yesterday."

Misty paused as her foot landed on the first step. She didn't move, nor did she even turn her head. Instead, she just replied in an edgy fashion, "Are you really?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

Misty finally managed to turn herself around, keeping within a step of the stairs. Her voice as cold as ever retorted, "Did you apologize just because Dawn asked you to?"

"Uh," Ash fumbled in trying to respond. He wasn't going to lie to Misty. He was already deep in a couple of lies with her; one of which involved both him and Dawn, and one that involved him alone.

"So you are!" Misty spat harshly, preparing to turn and stomp away from her would-be antagonist.

"I didn't realize what it meant for you! I was just having some fun, but Dawn told me how much it hurt you! I'm really, really sorry about it! I didn't mean to laugh, and I would never have said it at all if I knew it had such an impact," Ash took a breath as he lay out his argument in a lot less time than he intended, trying to make her stop before she reached her room as he pursued her on the stairs, "I never wanted to hurt you Misty! I was really sad that we weren't talking for years. I was so happy that we finally got back in touch recently! Do you think I want to throw that away because I'm ignorant?"

Misty finally paused, her hand inches away from the knob on the door to her room. Though she didn't let Ash see it, her face softened somewhat, and she mumbled "You know... you're right."

"Huh?"

"You really are ignorant. Maybe you've learned a lesson today. But just in case you haven't, just... keep out of my way today. Maybe I'll feel like talking to you tomorrow at the contest," Misty quietly cautioned him before entering her room and closing it with more force than necessary.

Ash's face fell. He thought he might've gotten through to her, but now he wasn't sure. He trudged down the stairs, looking crestfallen and not afraid to hide it. Dawn saw this as she came out of the kitchen into the living room and quickly ran up to him.

"The apology didn't go well?" Dawn asked with some concern.

Ash shook his head dejectedly.

"I can talk to her you like," Dawn offered.

"No," Ash looked up at her seriously, "Part of it is that she thinks I only did it because you asked. I can't have you fix this problem on my behalf because she needs to see that I'm willing to show remorse."

"Ok," Dawn said in a tiny voice, "I just don't want you to stop being friends after making up after all these years. We went through so much this week. I just want it to end well."

"I'm sure it will, Dawn," Ash offered a comforting hand to her shoulder, "I just need to be patient. I'm not great at it, but I'm better at it than I used to be. I'll be practicing outside if you need me." Ash passed Zoey as he made for the back door and strode outside, nodding to her as he passed.

Zoey noted Dawn's frown and she grew inquisitive, "Ok, what's the deal with you and Ash?"

"Huh?!" Dawn squeaked in fright. This was far from the last thing Dawn thought her rival would ask.

"There's something between you and Ash," Zoey stated directly, "I saw it all day yesterday. I had to filter out all the nasty looks you and Misty were giving him because of his laughing fit and that stupid stuff he said; but through all that, I see you looking at him in another way. I remembering seeing sorta similar looks when he travelled back you years ago, but I wrote it off because you were both young. And now I see him glancing at you too," she decided to hold back on saying anything about his looks at Misty for the moment, as she wasn't sure about that whole situation yet, "Then there was last night."

Dawn paled at the implications of that last accusation and she almost wanted to faint. But she held her composure just enough to avoid that display. The rest of her reaction was a dead giveaway to Zoey though.

"So, I'm right! I heard something from your room, and I saw you go from your room to his not long after we all decided to hit the sack," Zoey hammered away at the scenario, "Did you two really-,"

Dawn rushed up to Zoey and forcibly covered her mouth and put her mouth to Zoey's ear, "Quiet! You can't say anything. Misty can't know!"

"Why?" Zoey's face screwed up into the picture utter incomprehension.

"Long story..." Dawn muttered in exasperation.

"I have time," Zoey insisted.

"Hey guys. I'm ready," the unenthused voice of Misty shattered both girls' sense of security as they whipped around to see the gym leader come around the corner from the stairwell. She was wearing the dress again, and as usual, she looked marvellous in it. Misty did not look pleased, however, "Why do I need to be in this to practice?"

Dawn managed to get her voice back to answer her, albeit shakily, "S-so you can get used to battling and working with your Pokémon in it. You need to be comfortable while doing those things in the dress. Otherwise you'll be really nervous at the contest."

"I'm already going to be nervous at the contest..." Misty droned.

"It's one less thing to have on your nerves, trust me," Dawn encouraged.

"Fine... let's just do this so I get out of it before I ruin it somehow," Misty deadpanned.

"Yeah, I want to get to my training as well," Zoey added.

"You don't need to help if you don't want to," Misty offered politely.

"No, it's fine. I'd like you to get as much help as you could, considering how little time you've had," Zoey hand-waved the offer dismissively.

"Ok, let's get in there and do it then," Misty nodded to her teachers as they entered the pool battlefield area. Zoey and Dawn sat on the bleachers while Misty called forth her Pokémon to practice her appeal.

Zoey had an agenda besides watching and teaching Misty though. While she kept her eye on Misty and her partner, she whispered to Dawn, "Tell me why I can't talk to Misty about you two."

"Shouldn't we be paying att-," Dawn began to try and dismiss the topic but Zoey wouldn't let up.

"I can watch and talk at the same time. Now spill it," Zoey instructed powerfully, though quietly.

Dawn sighed and began to tell the story, "So Ash and I have been together for some months. But he's really new to romance and relationships so he wanted to keep it quiet. But I finally convinced him to start telling people. But before we could tell Misty, all three of us went to a club together. She got some alone time with him and confessed her love to him."

Zoey's eyes widened into saucers. She hadn't expected that, "Oh..." It clicked in her mind that was why Ash kept looking at her and seemed to be overcome by guilt. He had to reject her.

Dawn continued, "Ash wanted to tell her about us because he didn't want to lie to her. But if we told her, our friendships with Misty might end. What's worse is that Ash and Misty finally started talking again after years. She's always carried a torch for him, and he didn't even know. She cut off all ties with him to try and get over it, but when he and I showed up, we undid all of her work. She still loves him."

"That's..." Zoey struggled to find the adjective, "crazy." She couldn't find a different word if she wanted to. Zoey's stern face returned and she spoke to Dawn seriously, "You need to tell her you know."

Dawn drew a heavy breath and exhaled visibly. She continued to look at Misty's performance with some admiration. For a novice, contest-wise, she wasn't half-bad. Dawn spoke lowly, "I can't. Not now. She needs time before she can take a hit like that."

"She might never be able to take it," Zoey pointed out with some regret in her words.

"True... but I need to find the right time. Not too long so she doesn't think I've been hiding it away forever, but not so soon that it cuts her too deeply her after the confession," Dawn explained distantly.

Zoey nodded. Dawn had a point, and she was very sweet in how she was trying to be considerate towards the gym leader. However, the top coordinator wasn't a fan of this whole situation.

"How was that, guys?" Misty shouted from across the pool.

"Great! You just need to polish up the end. Remember that it needs to be smooth all the way through," Dawn counselled.

"And remember, the moves need to be stunning, but not so overwhelming that they overshadow the Pokémon themselves. It's their show," Zoey added smartly.

"Yeah. That was a hard lesson for me," Dawn reminisced with mixture of nostalgia and melancholy.

"It's a hard thing to learn for every coordinator," Zoey commented wisely, "Find that balance, and you're golden."

"Thanks guys," Misty said gratefully, bowing slightly before them, "I really appreciate this."

"My pleasure," Dawn cheered.

"Yeah, maybe this contest won't be so bad after all. Let's hope Ketchum is doing as well as you," Zoey complimented, smirking at her little jab at the raven-haired trainer.

Misty's smiling face faded slightly at his mention, but recovered just as quickly and replied challengingly, "If I make it past appeals, maybe we'll get paired for a battle and I'll get to prove my superiority!"

"That's the spirit!" Dawn praised, glad to see Misty was in high spirits.

* * *

"Return!"

Ash had just finished praising his Pokémon on a job well done as he returned it to his pokéball. His stomach had warned him that lunchtime was near, and confirmed it by checking his pokégear. He was about to head to the door when Dawn came out through it herself.

"Hey Dawn. I was about to go get lunch," Ash greeted.

"It'll be ready soon," Dawn replied perkily, but she approached him quickly and hissed in his ear, "We need to talk! Quickly!" She led him down the sidewalk and away from the gym. It was a quiet street, with very few people were around. It worked for her because they could have private conversation if they kept their voices down.

"What's the problem?" Ash asked curiously.

Dawn took a quick glance around her to make sure no one was within earshot. She whispered to him with caution, "Zoey knows about us!"

"How?" Ash asked more loudly than he intended.

Dawn cringed at how loudly he reacted before shushing him and continuing their conversation, "She heard us last night, and she put two and two together based on our interactions the rest of the day. Thankfully she told me before she blabbed to Misty about it, and she's agreed to keep it secret."

Ash's pounding heart slowed a bit and he exhaled finally. He took another breath in and confessed, "Man, you had me in a panic there, Dawn! Based on how severe you sounded, I thought Misty found out."

"Sorry!"

"It's fine," Ash comforted her, "We just need to make sure Zoey doesn't slip up..." He paused for a moment and a small smile crossed his face, "I guess we weren't as quiet as we thought."

Ash's girlfriend slapped his arm in a playful display of reproach, "Ash!"

"Hey... I didn't say _you_ weren't," Ash misdirected with a sly grin.

"And I'm not denying I was..." she looked around the street, on which only one other person was walking in the opposite direction as they, "We've just never talked about... that... in public."

A naughty chuckle came from Ash and he pulled Dawn to his side, much to the amusement of them both. They turned around and walked back to the gym's backyard where they entered living space of the complex once again. Ash entered the kitchen, only to see Misty and Zoey eating at the table. Misty was still in her dress.

"Misty! You can't eat in that! It'll get ruined!" Dawn scolded in a tone harsher than even she expected to hear. Ash wasn't even conscious of his surroundings anymore. He simply gazed at Misty in the dress and the world seemed to fall into a haze around her. Images of his dream from the past night flashed before his eyes before he managed shake his head from the clouds and look away. He did so just in time for Zoey to see him avert his gaze. She gave him an odd look before turning back to her meal.

"Fine! Fine! As long as I don't have to wear it again after lunch! It's so tiresome getting in and out of this thing!" Misty complained, passing Ash without any regard of his presence. Ash almost felt relief at her exit from the room, as well as a twinge of disappoint deeper within.

"Ash... there's food. I've never known you to pause at the sight of it!" Dawn remarked jokingly.

Ash's mind snapped to attention and he saw the meal in his allotted space on the table.

"Great! I'll dig in and get back to training quick!" he half-shouted, sitting at his spot and immediately began making the meal disappear with little effort.

Following lunch, the four trainers and coordinators found their own private spots around the gym property to practice, with Ash taking his former spot in the backyard, Misty continuing in the gym pool, Dawn practicing in the plaza out in front which was not nearly as busy as it had been when they first arrived in Cerulean, and Zoey who elected to travel across town to the Contest Hall's outdoor practice range. All in all, it was a productive day for the four of them. They each returned the gym's living room late that evening, all tired, yet all still excited for the coming of the next day.

One by one, they chose to head upstairs to get a good rest for the contest. Soon, Ash and Dawn were the only two left in the living room as they watched the television.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" Ash asked his girlfriend sleepily, his head lolling against hers lazily while hers rested on his shoulder.

"Yeah. I got a ton of practice in and the combinations I have prepared will be great," Dawn yawned back.

"Great, I'm ready too. You'll love my appeal especially, I think," he whispered, starting to slip into a drowsy state of mind.

"Mmm..." she purred into his arm, "What is it?"

He let out a quiet chuckle, "Ah, that's a surprise."

"Tease," she accused, turning herself slightly so her arm wrapped around his chest.

"You'd do the same," he argued playfully, copying her action with his own spare arm.

"Mph, I don't want to get up to go to bed. Can't we just stay here and sleep," Dawn cooed into his arm.

"I'd love it... but," Ash began, but Dawn cut him off as his slow laborious speech failed to finish the sentence quickly enough for her.

"Yeah... can't have Misty see us like this in the morning," Dawn finished resignedly.

"We got lucky when it came to Zoey," Ash sighed, still gripping Dawn tightly. His mind knew he had to get back to his room, but his tired body wanted to bask in her cheery warmth for a while yet.

"Mhmm," Dawn lazily agreed, barely able to string words together anymore. Her eyes were already closed and her breathing slowed.

"Dawn?" he asked her, craning his head to look at her form. He noticed she was now fast asleep, and couldn't bear to wake her from the angelic state that now enveloped her. She had a noticeable smile on her face as she dreamed. He stifled a groan as he managed to delicately move his arm around her to cradle her upper body whilst his other arm hooked beneath her legs. He carried her 'bridal' style up the stairs, making sure to not cause a sound to wake Dawn, nor the other two girls.

He struggled briefly with the door, having difficulty getting his hand to turn the knob while holding the blunette steady in his arms. Eventually, he succeeded and entered, turning her sideways so her sleeping body did not bang into the sides of the doorway. He laid her gingerly on the bed, and tucked her under the covers. He briefly entertained the idea of undressing her so as to put her in her pajamas, but decided against it; both because he didn't want to do so without her permission, and because he didn't want anything to start heating up if she happened to wake during the process.

When she was finally snug and secure, he pulled the blankets up over her shoulders and looked at her sleeping soundly in the bed. She was so peaceful. It was strange to note how perfectly gorgeous she was while she was like this, yet he felt equally passionate about her divine beauty when she awake and vibrant. He bent down and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek. She fidgeted as his lips withdrew, and he wondered if he had somehow affected her dreams. He saw her smile widen somewhat as she stilled once again, save for her steady, rhythmic breathing.

"Good night, Dawn." Ash crept carefully out of her room, and with equal stealth, returned to his own.

He nearly died of fright when he found Zoey sitting on his bed with a frown on her face.

"So. You and Dawn," she stated expectantly.

Ash did a double-take, not expecting the coordinator to even be awake, let alone in his room. He slowly closed the door so their conversation wouldn't travel into the hallway.

"What are you doing in here?" Ash asked, keeping his voice neutral.

"So, when did that happen?" Zoey continued her line of questions as though Ash hadn't even spoken.

"Um... what business is that of yours?" Ash retorted, caution seeping into his speech.

"Listen," she began sternly, "I know you travelled with her when you were younger, and you helped her quite a bit. I'm glad. But, I want to make sure you're not taking advantage of her."

Ash's eyes narrowed. He wasn't sure if he should take that as an insult or not. Whether or not his mind managed to make a decision, his mouth took the initiative, "What do you mean? Are you implying that I'm hurting her... or manipulating her?"

"I'm saying that Dawn is someone who likes to believe the best in people. Except when she gets into a funk, she's almost eternally optimistic. She's clearly in love with you. I want to make sure you feel the same for her. It's not fair otherwise," Zoey told him with an edge to her tone.

Ash began to grow impatient at the very idea that his feelings for Dawn were being questioned, "First of all Zoey, it's great that you're looking out for Dawn. You're a good friend. But she's not as naive as you think! You don't give her the credit she deserves. She's a wonderful girl and I love... LOVE... everything about her! I don't know what you think of me to make this accusation Zoey, but I'm really disappointed that you see me that way."

Zoey's face scrunched up in consideration. He sounded genuine to her, but some things didn't add up. She stood up and moved to the door. He moved out of the way for her to leave, but she stopped at the door and looked at him with her piercing red eyes, "Make sure you know what you want and for whom you have feelings. Dawn deserves nothing less than your total love. Make sure it's what she gets." Without another word or look, Zoey quickly opened the door and left, leaving Ash to close it behind her. Before he did, he watched her enter Daisy's room just down the hall. She was quiet, but she still carried herself as though she were almost angry with him.

Ash knew Zoey was Dawn's friend and wanted to make sure she was being taken care of properly, but this almost seemed personal to her. He couldn't understand why. He tried to push the dark thoughts out of his mind as he changed into his shirt and boxers. He flopped into the messy bed that he had forgotten to make that morning and clumsily pulled the sheets over himself. He tried to keep all thoughts of the strange conversation out of his mind. He managed to succeed, and soon he was dreaming of the battles that were now only hours away.

* * *

**A/N: I'd like to apologize for how long it took me to get this chapter up. I promised it sooner but was unable to deliver. I should be back to my normal schedule now, so look forward to regular updates.**

**I'd also like to thank everyone who lent me their support for me in this difficult time. Through your reviews and private messages, I received quite the number of kind words to help me through it all. It's immensely heartwarming to see that the members of my readership are such nice and caring people, and I don't think I can even put into words just how grateful I am for all of your generosity and understanding. I sincerely hope that this chapter and the ones to come do not betray the standards you've come to expect so far, especially in light of how long you've waiting. **

**Thank you once again for your support and patience. Happy reading.**

**~ Undercityrezident**


	12. Chapter 12: The Stage is Set

**Chapter 12 – The Stage is Set**

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this."

Misty sat in front of the mirror in the coordinators' dressing room as Dawn helped finish grooming the gym leader's hair. Misty was quite nervous and was having a hard time hiding it.

"No need to worry!" Dawn chirped in the best soothing tone she could muster, "Everyone in Cerulean is a big fan of yours, and we'll all be here to support you! Your first time is always the hardest, but once you get on stage and hear the supportive cheers of the crowd, you'll feel right at home!" Dawn finished brushing Misty's hair and tried to rub Misty's bared shoulders in an attempt to relax the nerves of the wound-up redhead.

Misty's tension began to fade slightly, but her mind was still a mess, "That's part of why I'm so nervous. I really don't want to disappoint the city with some half-baked performance. I might make a fool of myself and they'll lose respect for me!"

Dawn continued her attempts to reassure Misty, "If your practice runs in the gym were any indication, you'll do great! Just remember to focus on the Pokémon and the field during the performance. Forget about the crowd if it makes you feel better. Just imagine it's you in the gym practicing."

"I'll try. But I'm not sure about this," Misty tried to sound strong, but her voice wavered.

Dawn came to the front of Misty and held the gym leader's hands with both of her own. Dawn looked into her eyes and told her gently, "It's ok, we'll be there afterwards, no matter the result. But if this is too much for you, I don't want to force you to do anything you don't want. I just thought it might be fun and you'd get to see why I love coordinating so much. I thought we could bond over it, you know? But say the word, and we'll drop it all right now."

Misty gave a small smile to her best friend and answered in a voice verging on a whisper, "Thank you, Dawn. You're so nice, and I understand why you want me in the competition with you. And while I'm certainly shaky right now, I can't quit," Misty stood up and Dawn along with her. Misty's voice gained conviction and volume as she continued, "I've never backed down from a challenge in my life, and I won't start now. Whatever happens, I'm still gym leader, and I'm still a great trainer. No botched contest will change that!"

"That's the spirit!" Dawn cheered.

"So, do I look ok?" Misty asked, spinning around her gorgeous sea-blue-green dress with her shoulder-length wavy red hair cascading perfectly downwards, framing her angelic face.

"Fantastic! And me?" Dawn complimented and returned with the question with one of her own. She mirrored Misty and spun around in her own contest garb. Dawn's dress was dazzling as well. It was a light pink shade except for the thick white trim that adorned her upper chest, creating an almost royal-like border that came beneath her neckline and draped lightly onto her shoulders, but still left much of it exposed. A few red velvet lines ran down the front to her waist where it intersected with a matching frilly trim that wrapped around her, culminating with a large bow on the back. The lower portion of her dress was elegant and billowed outwards slightly. It was accentuated by a tied ribbon on each of her sides and ended just above her ankles. She wore short ruby-red heels that seemed to almost sparkle in the light. Her back-length blue hair was tied into an intertwining braided ponytail that flowed down her back like a river, and it was all capped off with a golden flower pinned just above her right ear.

"Like you were born on the stage," Misty praised.

Dawn giggled and grabbed Misty's hand and pulled her to dressing room's exit, "Come on! Let's get to the coordinators' waiting room! We need to see Ash and Zoey before the show starts!"

Misty nearly tripped as she was pulled by the excitable blunette, but she held her footing. Misty silently thanked Dawn for actually convincing her to take the time to practice in her costume, since it just saved her from a potential catastrophe right then and there. A few hallways later, they arrived in the backstage waiting room where a rather meagre collection of coordinators stood.

"Wow... I knew there weren't going to be many of us due to the storm, but this is way less than even I thought," Dawn remarked with some disappointment.

"Well, at least it means we have a better shot of making it past appeals," Misty offered, trying to sound optimistic.

"I guess, but it's not just about winning. I love seeing a variety of inventive and beautiful appeals. It's very inspiring to see all of them," Dawn explained, her eyes glowing in remembrance.

"Yeah, that just means we'll have to work twice as hard to give the crowd a good show."

Dawn and Misty turned to the source of the new entrant in their conversation. They saw two people. The owner of the voice was none other than Dawn's rival, dressed in a sharp burgundy tailcoat that was lined with gold trim that met at its buttons on the chest. The arms of the coat were awash in curling branches of the same trim which met the ones on the torso via the shoulder. The dress pants worn paired with the coat, having the same colour, and bore the same markings only at the hems of the waist and ankles. Underneath the coat was a fluffy white undershirt which had frilly collar and wrists that protruded from underneath the jacket, framing her neck and hands nicely.

"Zoey! Are you ready for this?" Dawn excitedly challenged the top coordinator who had come from behind them.

"Of course! It'll be a great competition, regardless of the fact there are only seventeen of us here today," Zoey affirmed.

Dawn's eyes drifted from Zoey to the man who stood behind her. Ash was dressed very nicely as well, which was fairly rare for her to see. He did prefer his casual clothes, but today he looked especially sharp. He wore pin-striped suit, a black tie, pure white gloves, jet black loafers, and a medium-brimmed fedora. Dawn couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked in the whole getup. His charm was only enhanced by the fact that Pikachu sat on his shoulder wearing a cute, black bowtie. This opinion, though her expression was hidden, was very much shared by Misty.

"You bet it's gonna be!" Ash launched into the conversation, "We've got a top coordinator, a runner-up, a gym leader and me! Plenty of talent!"

"Careful Ketchum," Misty drawled, "You don't want that big head of yours to cause you tip over while you're on stage."

"Heh, don't worry Misty," Ash smirked at her warning, "I've practiced a lot, and I've been to quite a few contests. This is actually the fourth I'll have competed in."

Dawn's face took on an unimpressed look and she lay on the sarcasm, "Yes, because three previous contests is so much experience, especially when the last one was about eight years ago."

The group, minus Ash, all broke into a fit of laughter while Ash stood there with a look of neutrality, unable to determine whether he should be upset or laugh along with them. He didn't have to though because something grabbed the attention of all the room.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Cerulean City Contest Hall!"

The heads of all coordinators turned to the large flat-screen TV mounted on the wall towards the end of the waiting room. On it was the contest MC, dressed in her now iconic outfit which consisted of a white brim visor hat, blue collared top that left a sizeable midriff, and high-cut blue jean shorts. Her brown hair swished as she energetically continued her announcements, "I'm Lilian Meridian, and I'm glad to bring you this year's Cerulean City Contest for the coveted Cerulean Ribbon!" She held up the ribbon for dramatic effect while the camera zoomed in on it to get a detailed look.

"That woman never runs out of energy does she?" Dawn commented as the MC continued her prepared speech for the contest.

"Easily the most enthusiastic of the Meridian sisters, from what I've seen," Zoey agreed with her rival.

Lilian continued her routine and turned to face three podium occupied by three familiar faces, "And now! Let's introduce our judges panel. First off: Chief of the Pokémon Activities Committee, Mr. Contesta!"

"I look forward to a great competition," the now mostly gray-haired man spoke with anticipation.

"Next: President of the Pokémon Fan Club, Mr. Sukizo!" Lilian introduced.

"In light of recent events, I must say the resilience of Cerulean City's people and their insistence on letting this contest continue is nothing less than remarkable!" the short, squinty-eyed man praised.

"I don't think I've ever heard him say so much in one sentence," Ash mused.

"Still managed to get 'remarkable' in there somehow," Dawn deadpanned.

"And lastly, Cerulean City's own Nurse Joy!" Lilian finished.

"I can't wait to see all wonderful Pokémon and all their lovely performances," the soft-spoken Nurse spoke delicately into her mounted microphone.

"I wonder what traits Brock has written in his little blue book of babes for that Nurse Joy..." Misty asked dully to no one in particular, having noticed that she didn't need to ear pinch a love-struck friend of hers.

"I'm sure it's more than we'd really like to know..." Ash responded dryly.

"First contestant, Dawn! You're up in two minutes, please make your way to the stage entrance!" an usher shouted into the waiting room.

"Ok! That's my cue!" Dawn squeaked happily as she bounded towards the hallway leading to the stage. Ash watched as the fancily dressed Dawn made a quick exit. He couldn't help but stare at her as she left. He loved her contest costumes. She always managed to look absolutely stunning, and that was on top of her already incredible natural beauty. Ash managed to pull himself out of his haze in time to realize he needed to do something really quickly.

"Be right back! I need to tell Dawn something before she goes on stage!" Ash half-shouted in a panicky voice. He put Pikachu down on the bench in the middle of the room and told his best buddy, "Here! Watch the competition for me! And don't forget to cheer them on!"

"Pika pika!" the little yellow mouse answered him with gusto, turning to the TV and letting out numerous squeaks of enjoyment.

Misty and Zoey let out cries of confusion as they tried to grab Ash's attention, but neither managed to succeed as he bolted down the hallway after his girlfriend.

He caught up to Dawn as she was approaching the entryway to the stage. She had less than a minute before she was called up and he really needed to say something to her.

"Dawn!"

The blunette halted at the call of her name and spun around in surprise. Her face lit up as she saw his approach, "Ash! I was worried you forgot!"

Ash pulled her into a side hallway branching off from the main one so that no one would see them. He pulled off his hat and quickly pulled her into a deep and passionate kiss. She was pressed back into the wall, and she pulled him hungrily along with her.

"I could never forget!" Ash growled huskily to her before seizing her lips again. They remained like this for longer than they intended, then they heard a cheer go up from down the hall.

Dawn willed herself to unfasten from Ash and told him wistfully, "I have to get on stage."

Ash just smiled and told her one word, "Spotlight..."

Dawn giggled at the use of her on-stage call. It had become something of a routine ever since that first date in Snowpoint, where he would give her a good-luck kiss and he would tell her that one word. The final part of their tradition had yet to come though. She and Ash walked up to the hallway's exit to the open air of the contest hall's main arena. They nodded to each other, and gave each other a high five. It always caused a surge of nostalgia. That gesture brought them back to when they were young. They needed each other's support back then, and they both willingly gave it. They both agreed it was important to remember the bonds of their youth so that it would strengthen the one they had now.

Her name was called by the MC and Dawn quickly dashed out to meet the cheering crowd. Ash considered watching her from right there, but it was against the rules as an active competitor. He didn't want to be disqualified before he had a chance to show off how he'd gotten better in contests. He briskly walked back to the waiting room where the other coordinators eagerly watched in anticipation of Dawn's appeal.

"What was that about?" Zoey questioned Ash on his return.

"I forgot to wish her luck," Ash casually replied.

Zoey's face went from an emotionally neutral face of analysis to a slight frown as she sensed the implications of his statement.

"Well, with her skills she doesn't need luck," she replied trying to continue the allegedly casual tone of the conversation.

* * *

"Piplup! Spotlight!"

The little blue penguin burst forth from its pokéball in a flurry of blue bubbles and he cried out his name enthusiastically. Piplup landed on the stage gracefully and puffed out his chest in pride while holding his stubby flipper-like wings to his sides.

"Now! Whirlpool, a big one!" Dawn ordered, holding her slender arm upwards for effect.

Shouting out his name even more loudly and with a resounding echo, Piplup conjured a much larger whirlpool than his usual fare. The whirlpool dwarfed the tiny penguin as it spun around above his head as Piplup raised his tiny wings to hold it in place.

"Now throw it up to the ceiling!"

The bird complied and with a great motion of his arms, the vortex was sent straight up at a slow pace towards the rafters. It was a major feat and Piplup had only barely begun to sweat.

"Now jump and use drill peck, spinning the same direction as the whirlpool!" Dawn called enthusiastically.

Piplup crouched momentarily before jumping straight upwards. He began spinning clockwise, the same as the whirlpool while his beak glowed as it pierced upwards at a startlingly fast speed. He plunged through the whirlpool's pointed base and everyone expected the small blue Pokémon to merely pass through. But Dawn never intended her appeal to be something so simple. Rather than emerging from the vortex, the attack, coupled with the complimentary spin, pulled the rotating mass of water upwards, changing the shape from a whirlpool pointing down to the earth to one pointing up to the sky. The little blue penguin emerged from the apex and gracefully executed a flip while droplets of water rained from his form.

"Now back down! Spin the other direction!"

Piplup did just that, returning to his original trajectory of straight downwards, he spun counter-clockwise this time and pierced the whirlpool. This time, the counter-acting forces of Piplup's drill peck and the whirlpool's natural spin caused a nullification of both movements. As Piplup burst through the watery form, it shattered into a million drops of rain that poured after the falling penguin. Piplup landed seconds before the rain did. The storm of drops threatened to pound the stage and the head of the little blue bird along with it; but Dawn wasn't done.

"Protect, upwards!"

Piplup concentrated and conjured at green half-shell protect which glowed even more brightly due to all its energy being focused in one direction. It vaguely resembled an umbrella and the comparison was all the more apt when the rain hit it and merely bounced off, keeping the water-type perfectly dry. Piplup even began a little dance while the rain fell around him harmlessly.

Once the last drop fell and Piplup's protect ended, the crowd, which had grown quite silent, suddenly erupted into a massive cheer.

"Great job, Piplup!" Dawn cheered her first Pokémon, who once again took his prideful pose in front of her, even tapping his chest for good measure.

"A fantastic way to start out our contest! She's been the runner-up at three grand festivals, and for good reason!" Lilian praised, "Now let's see what the judges have to say!"

Mr. Contesta was first to speak, "As I have come to expect of Dawn, she showed great technique and understanding of her Pokémon and their abilities. I especially like Piplup's jubilant personality."

"Thrilling and remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo added as only he could.

"Piplup is quite astounding in his ability to generate such a massive whirlpool. I'm very impressed with his ability, and having him finish by showing his fun-loving characteristics is always a great thing to see in a contest!" the local Nurse Joy concluded.

* * *

"Wow... that was amazing!" Misty gushed, "I've never seen a whirlpool manipulated like that!"

"It was a really risky act, but she pulled it off. I'm impressed," Zoey added, a genuine smile gracing her features.

"Never a doubt in my mind," Ash affirmed.

As another contender took the stage on the TV, Dawn jogged back into the room, looking very excited. She did a little hop and asked in a high pitched voice, "How was it? Did it look good?"

"Of course," Misty complimented, "You definitely set the bar really high as the first coordinator!"

"Oh! Thanks Misty!" she squealed, hugging her best friend tightly.

"Gah! Can't breathe!"

"Oh! Sorry! Sorry!" Dawn relaxed her grip, apologizing profusely.

"It's fine," Misty laughed into the hug, patting Dawn's back.

"Zoey? What did you think?" Dawn asked her rival.

"Honestly, it was a perfect performance. Risky though! So many things could've gone wrong, but you managed it," Zoey answered her happily.

"Ash?" Dawn turned to him next.

"Well, I'm certainly not gonna beat that," he joked.

"Of course not, mister!" Dawn giggled.

They continued to watch the competition together until the usher called out another name, "Ash of Pallet Town! Two minutes!"

"Yes! My turn!" Ash cried out enthusiastically. Pikachu bounded over at the mention of his name and began chirping variations of his name. Ash kneeled down to his starter and told him quietly yet confidently, "I wish you could come on stage with me, old buddy, but only the Pokémon I'm using can be there with me. But I know you're rooting for me! Just watch, this is gonna be awesome!" Ash pumped his fist energetically as he stood up. He nearly sprinted out the door in his near hysterical state of mind at being in a contest again.

"Oh geez! I better make sure he doesn't kill himself on the way there!" Dawn put a palm to her forehead as she pursued the manic boy.

"Maybe a bump on the head will do him some good..." Misty let out sarcastically. Zoey could only laugh at her jab at the raven-haired trainer.

Dawn found Ash waiting at the threshold between the hall and the open field of the stage. She called out to him desperately, hoping he wouldn't prematurely jump into the fray, "Ash!"

Ash turned his head in confusion, but was elated to see Dawn.

"Hey! What are you doing out here?" he inquired.

Rather than responding, she pulled him back to the junction in the hall and did exactly what he did to her earlier. She pressed him to the wall, stood on her toes and locked lips with her boyfriend passionately.

"I figured since you did it for me..." Dawn huskily whispered, closing back in for another kiss.

Once they needed to breathe, he made his retort, "I need to enter contests more often. Any excuse to get another kiss is always a good one."

They kissed one more time then tore apart from one another as they heard Lilian's voice foreshadowing his immediate call. Ash and Dawn began to separate, but before they did, she spoke cheekily, "I choose you!"

Ash was confused for a moment, but then he realized what she did, and a sly smile crossed his face. "Clever girl," he told her smoothly, their hands meeting in a high five before they went their separate ways.

Dawn arrived in the waiting room to the gazes of her two redheaded friends. Dawn felt oddly like she was in the center of something she didn't understand.

"So? How is he?" Zoey asked with a nearly undetectable hint of disapproval in her voice.

"He's ready, and he's going to do well. I know it!" Dawn answered perkily.

"As long as he's not overconfident," Misty remarked with some concern in her voice.

* * *

"Please welcome Ash of Pallet Town!" Lilian cheered as Ash ran to center stage.

A loud cheer was heard. Despite his absence from the scene, many remembered this trainer and his many showings, though there were murmurs of confusion as to why someone like him was in a contest.

"Alright! Leavanny, I choose you!" Ash called out tossing his pokéball. The dual bug-grass type landed gracefully on stage amid a shower of orange petals.

* * *

"What's that Pokémon? I've never seen that before!" Zoey exclaimed, grabbing her pokédex and listening to its explanation.

"It's one of the ones Ash caught in Unova!" Dawn explained with excitement, "I've seen him in battle before. He's very graceful. Ash made a great choice!"

"Huh... Unova. No wonder I've never seen it. No contests over there," Zoey murmured.

Misty, however, was not reacting well to the choice of the boy she loved, "It's ... a ..." she paused momentarily before screaming out, "BUG!"

Zoey looked at Misty as though the sight of the gym leader couching behind Dawn to obscure the sight of the TV-projected insect was the strangest thing she had ever seen, and it very well may have been. Dawn turned around to comfort Misty, holding her hands and telling her soothingly, "It's ok. He's a very nice Pokémon. He's very graceful, and kind, and Leavanny makes clothes out of leaves for his friends!"

Misty poked her head over Dawn's shoulder to look at the televised insect. She cringed, but still kept her eye on it.

"What's wrong with bugs?" Zoey asked casually.

Misty looked at Zoey as though she were an alien, "Because they're icky, slimy, disgusting, crawly, always hiding and ambushing and sneaking and being generally scary and unpleasant!"

Zoey just stared wide-eyed at the gym leader who had delivered a high-pitched rant about the demerits of bug types. Meanwhile, the gym leader continued to watch the screen with Leavanny as he began his act, as though she were afraid he would leap out of the screen and attack her right there in the waiting room.

* * *

"Leavanny, razor leaf upwards!"

Ash's command was elegantly executed as the Nurturing Pokémon swung his arms gracefully, unleashing wave after wave of leaves into the open air of the stage.

"Now! String-shot them all together!" Ash ordered powerfully.

Leavanny opened his mouth to shoot not one large strand, but several smaller strands of white sinew to the cloud of leaves in the sky. Now a veritable web of sticky webbing hooked all the leaves together while a few of the strands were hooked into the ceiling to keep the whole mess from falling down.

"Now climb up and show them your tailoring skills!"

This order threw off both the judges and the audience. They didn't imagine that sewing could be an exciting appeal. However, they were all proven wrong, as Leavanny swung deftly around his network of leaves and strings, sewing leaves together as he went. Soon the leaves were all tucked together neatly in a diamond formation. As Leavanny crawled back down, he wove the various small strands into a larger rope.

"Now... have some fun! Let's go fly a kite!" Ash nearly sang.

Leavanny tugged on the larger rope and the few small sinews of string-shot holding the leafy kite to the rafters were broken. Leavanny danced around the stage, towing the kite which was kept afloat by the quick movements of the bug-grass type. A large applause rose at this almost carefree approach to an appeal.

"Now! Finish up with energy ball along the line!" Ash commanded, pointing at the kite.

Leavanny conjured an energy ball at its mouth, but rather than shooting it, he plucked it with his leafy arm and threw it in line with the kite's rope. It spun around the string shot, spiraling as it travelled its length, until it finally hit the kite. The kite exploded, and a shower of leaves draped the stage. Leavanny did a final pirouette while the leaves fell around him, finishing with a dignified bow.

The audience roared with approval while the judges gave their verdicts. Mr. Contesta was, as usual, first, "Such an inventive use of a Pokémon's abilities and talents that extend both within and outside battle. The tone was very lighthearted and I enjoyed it."

Mr. Sukizo spoke next, "Fun and remarkable."

Nurse Joy said her piece last, "Such a great display of a well-trained and well-cared for Pokémon. It's a delight to have witnessed this."

Ash returned his Pokémon to its capsule and gave a curt bow to the judges before leaving the stage. Upon returning to the hallway, noticing that no one was around, he couldn't resist jumping up and doing a punch into the air in celebration. He spoke to Leavanny's pokéball with great praise, "You did awesome out there! I hope you had as much fun doing it as I did watching!" Ash continued back to the back room to meet up with his friends, and was met with the gazes of the three girls. Dawn's was one of awe and love, though the latter emotion though clearly restrained; as was the desire to just jump on him and hug him. Misty's was a wide, impressed smile with hints of something a bit deeper, though she hid it well. Zoey had a smirk on her face, but she still carried a face that conveyed respect.

"Ash! That was brilliant!" Dawn lavished praise onto her boyfriend.

"See what happens if you actually put your brain to good use," Misty tapped her head knowingly.

"Yeah, I have to admit, that was one of the more inventive appeals I've ever seen. Certainly the most original," Zoey complimented.

"Thanks guys. That means a lot," Ash returned the gesture, nodding and smiling widely. He was greeted last by Pikachu who quickly jumped onto his shoulder, letting out a contented chime of his name in congratulations to his trainer.

They watched all of the appeals until only two remained. Zoey was called and they watched her performance the television with rapt attention.

"Mismagius! Curtain!" Zoey announced. The Magical Pokémon entered the stage through a burst of black light that shot out in beams from the pokéball.

"Oh! That's one of her best!" Dawn remarked excitedly.

"Yeah! That's the one that beat Nando's Kricketune's sing with lucky chant. Such a great strategy," Ash reminisced.

"I hope this ghost type is nicer than some of the one's we've met on our travels, Ash," Misty cringed at the memory. She still wasn't terribly fond of ghost types after Pokémon Tower in Lavender, or the Burned Tower in Ecruteak.

"This one's really friendly," Dawn assured her friend, "And most Mismagius are. The one we encountered created an illusion where we got everything we ever wanted. It was really sad when we had to tell it that we wanted to actually earn all those things."

"As if Brock could win all those Joys and Jennys," Ash laughed as he remembered that whole incident.

"As if you could beat Cynthia's Rayquaza!" Dawn ribbed Ash.

"Cynthia has a Rayquaza!?" Misty's eyes nearly bolted out of her head.

"No no no," Dawn corrected, "It was part of the illusion. Besides, all she needs is her Garchomp to beat Ash!"

"Hey! I bet I could take that beast of hers down... it's just the rest of her team I wouldn't be able to take care of afterwards," Ash boasted before relenting sulkily.

"Look! Zoey's doing something really cool now!" Dawn dismissed the conversation and returned their attention to the television. Zoey had just commanded her Mismagius to launch several shadow balls into the sky. Next, the ghost was ordered to shoot a Psybeam at the highest one at the far end of the stage. The psybeam altered the course of the now descending shadow ball, which crashed into the next one in the line and exploded. This caused a chain reaction which repeated itself until all the shadow balls detonated, leaving wake of black smoke which descended on the stage.

"Now! Thunder!" Zoey called out.

Mismagius charged itself up before unleashing a massive set of electric bolts into the smoke which caused it swell and burst into a mixture of static and blackened sparkles which fell around Mismagius who floated amidst the spectacle, undaunted.

"That was awesome!" Dawn cheered.

"Misty, two minutes!" the usher informed her from the doorway.

Misty closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "And I have to follow Zoey... this doesn't make me feel any better."

As if on cue, without so much as a word between them, Ash and Dawn both put a hand on Misty's shoulder. The redhead looked back and forth between her two friends. She saw the earnest confidence that radiated from both of them. It was their confidence in her. She straightened herself up and put on a face of steely determination.

"Let's go," Misty's strong voice emerged. She left the room with both Ash and Dawn flanking her, providing her with emotional support every step from the waiting room to the stage entrance.

Along the way, they met Zoey, who smiled at Misty with a softer expression than usual. She spoke strongly to Misty, "Your time to shine, Misty. Show them the beauty of water Pokémon."

Misty nodded, keeping her determined face, but allowing a smile to tug the corners of her mouth upward. Misty held out a hand and Zoey took it. Their strong grips assured one another of their mutual respect. Misty's conveyed thanks for Zoey's support and congratulations for her impressive showing, while Zoey's simply told her to go out there and give them all a show they wouldn't forget. Misty took her place at the arena entrance while Ash and Dawn awaited the moment of the gym leader's curtain call.

"Ladies and Gentlemen! An extra special treat today! We have an entrant you all know very well. She is the fiery redhead who guards the cascade badge from those who want to make the climb to the Indigo Plateau. Some call her the Tomboyish Mermaid. I just think she's the toughest gym leader in all of Kanto! Don't believe me? Then please, sit and watch as she demonstrates! I give you, the leader of the Cerulean City Gym! Misty!"

Lilian's speech hyped up the audience immensely. Many were on their feet, and all were cheering and clapping. There was no doubt that she was a beloved gym leader in the city. Misty stepped out onto the stage, waving to the audience and allowing her face to relax into a smile. While she was still certainly a bundle of nerves, she was actually quite happy to see how much they adored her.

Misty took her place at center stage and unveiled her pokéball. She gripped it tightly and whispered to it, "I know you didn't get a chance to make an appearance in my battle against Ash, but now everyone will get to see how awesome you are! Get ready!"

She shouted out to the audience and began her act, "Go! Starmie!"

In a blast of vibrant white light, courtesy of her pokéball's seal, the rays spread out all over the arena to reveal the starfish-like Pokémon. The light faded away and the sheen of its gem-like core glinted at the light's absence to finish its already marvelous entrance.

"Starmie! Power gem front and center!"

The Mysterious Pokémon let out its distinctly feminine cry and flew into the air deftly. Its red central gem glowed a bright crimson before unleashing several copies of it into the air above it. The replicated diamonds sparkled wonderfully, reflecting and refracting each other's light to create an enchanting sight. But Misty wasn't even close to being done.

"Swift!" Misty shouted powerfully.

Starmie flexed its appendages backwards then forwards before shooting a stream of star shaped projectiles to the airborne gemstones. The stream of stars hit the crystalline obstacles and began to cause a rotation. The swift attack began to circle the shining stones as well, causing its spinning motion to grow exponentially. Soon, the gems and stars glittered against one another as they spun in an orbit around a central gap; one that Misty planned to make use of.

"Now take your place among the stars and use cosmic power!" Misty triumphantly instructed.

Starmie launched itself from the ground and struck true, becoming embedded in the very center of the shining disc of stars and precious stones. Then the starfish began to glow bright white as it drew power into itself to become more resilient. The visual appeal was the real objective though. The light only added to the brilliance of the already spectacular light show that was the combination of swift and power gem. Together, all of it seemed to resemble a spectacular replica of a galaxy.

"Back to earth!"

Starmie spun rapidly and dispersed the spinning stones and stars. The starfish landed on the ground directly below where it had been hovering while the lights and fragments of the galaxy fell to the field around it, bursting into small sparkles and crackles of light and sound.

The crowd, already loud with buzzing excitement and amazement, nearly toppled the building with the booming cheers that engulfed the stage. It was certainly the loudest cheer of all the performances that day. The judges had to wait an exceptionally long time to deliver their verdicts while they waited for the crowd's adulations and chants of 'Misty' to die down.

Lilian finally managed to speak above the clamour and began the judging process herself, "I don't think I've seen anything so spectacular, and that's after witnessing the performance of a Top Coordinator and a runner-up today! Judges! What do you have to say?"

"A phenomenal performance that reminds me of the majesty of our universe for certain!" Mr. Contesta praised.

"Absolutely remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo added.

"Starmie is the Mysterious Pokémon. I'm glad that Misty decided to showcase that aspect of her Pokémon when I expected to see a water display due to her specialty. Such a surprise!" Nurse Joy spoke admiringly.

Misty bowed in thanks and waved to the audience as she walked back to the stage exit. Her knees were trembling from the overwhelming response. She exhaled when she finally got into the hallway.

* * *

"I still can't believe she managed to pull off something so majestic her first time," Zoey remarked.

"I know! I knew she was going to be good at this! Misty might not admit it, but she has a mind for beautiful and graceful things," Dawn squeaked in excitement.

Ash was still staring slack-jawed at the screen. He knew Misty was talented, but this was far beyond anything he could even comprehend. Between Starmie's magical performance and just how Misty seemed to glow at receiving such high praise from the audience and the judges, he couldn't tear his eyes away.

"Depending on how she does contest battles, I think we may have found someone aside from Nando that I can see handling both league training and coordinating," Zoey commented with some admiration in her voice.

"Though I'd love for her to be a coordinator, I don't think she'll tear herself away from her dream of being a Water Pokémon Master," Dawn spoke with some measure of disappointment. Her voice turned upbeat again fast enough though, "But whatever she does, I'll support her all the way!"

"I think it's something to do with water trainers and water Pokémon. First Juan, then Wallace, now her," Zoey mused, "I think there must be some inherent balance and perspective you need to learn to train water-types. Something that lends itself to both strength and beauty."

"You might be right about that," Dawn accepted Zoey's theory with some consideration.

Ash finally came back to his senses and looked around. Even though he had been staring at the screen long since Misty's image departed from it, he had been in a world of his own. Now he noticed that Misty had yet to return. He was first to ask the question, "Shouldn't she be back by now?"

Both girls looked up to him and realized that he was right. Instantly the three of them were out the door and walked at a brisk pace down the hall. They saw her not far from the stage entrance. She was leaning with her back against the wall and she was taking long, slow breaths.

"Misty, are you ok?" Ash ran up to her and held Misty by her shoulders. She looked up to him and her composed face melted at the sight of his concern. She collapsed onto him in a big hug as her long breaths began to fade into normal pace.

Dawn and Zoey walked up on both sides the hugging duo and began to express their concern and praise. Dawn was first, "Misty, you were wonderful out there."

Misty dragged herself out of the hug that she truly didn't want to let go of and looked at Dawn with a face of relief. She spoke softly, "I can't believe I managed to do that. I was so incredibly scared. I didn't want to mess up. And it got only worse when I saw how much they loved me. I didn't want to disappoint them. I didn't want to fail."

"And you didn't," Zoey reassured her in her tough voice, "You went out there and you gave a performance that, frankly, even I'm a little jealous of."

"And that's saying a lot, Misty," Dawn reiterated, "She's done some absolutely beautiful appeals, and I don't think either of us have done anything so breathtaking. I bet even Wallace would compliment you on that one."

"Guys... that means so much," Misty was still talking in her soft, humbled voice, "Thank you."

"Misty. You were phenomenal out there. I can see you going far in the contest," Ash gave her a wide smile as he complimented her. He honestly wanted to tell her something more meaningful, but he couldn't with Dawn, Zoey, and his conscience present.

"Thanks, Ash. You even used a big word for me," Misty joked, causing all them to break out into giggles.

Pikachu, of course, leapt into Misty's arms and sang her praises is his language, "Pikachupi! Pikaaaa."

"Thanks Pikachu! I'm glad you enjoyed it!" Misty thanked the affectionate Pokémon.

"Come on, let's get back to the waiting room," Dawn spoke up in her cheery voice, "They'll be showing who made it to the battle rounds.

The group of four made their way back to the back room where Lilian had just begun her speech on the television, "This has been a show for the ages already! And we're just getting started! Here's who you'll be seeing in the battle rounds. Due to the shortage of competitors today, we'll be only allowing eight entrants through, for a total of three rounds."

"Wouldn't make sense to just knock out one person after appeals," Zoey commented dryly.

"And, here are the competitors for the quarter finals!" Lilian yelled out.

Portraits of the contest entrants began appearing on the TV screen at a rapid pace. Misty's face came up first and a small cheer went up from the group as the two girls hugged Misty. Zoey's face came up second, Dawn's fourth, and Ash's in seventh.

"We all made it!" Dawn cheered loudly.

"And now, here are the matchups!" Lilian announced.

The pictures were taken and shuffled until they came out into four pairs.

Misty was battling a boy who appeared to be about twelve and wore a cowboy hat.

Zoey was battling a man with a rather scraggly neck beard.

But what shocked them most was the fact that Ash and Dawn were being forced to battle each other in the first round.

"Oh! This is gonna be fun!" Ash enthusiastically cheered, "I've never gotten to battle you in a real contest before!"

Dawn matched his determined face with one of his own, "Yeah! Now you can show me how much you've learned about contest battles by training and watching me!"

"I'll give you a good battle, no doubt!" he challenged.

"I would love nothing less!" Dawn returned the sentiment.

Misty was enjoying this just for the reason that she knew this would be an interesting battle. But Zoey smirk grew twice its usual form because she knew something that Misty didn't. This was a battle of two lovers. If they were truly in love with one another and respected each other's prowess as trainer and coordinator, it would be a passionate battle, and she wondered what it would be like to see such a thing on the battlefield.

Dawn and Ash continued to stare into each other's eyes. Besides practice, Ash and Dawn had never fought each other in a battle since they entered their relationship. It was interesting for one to see the fire in the other's eyes when it came to this scenario. They saw the familiar flames of passion burning within; they knew that heat all too well. But it was mingled with the excitable blaze of being locked in battle with a worthy opponent. It created a blend that they weren't sure they would be able to replicate ever again.

"Ash and Dawn," the usher called, "You're up." The pair looked at Zoey and Misty, who each gave them an encouraging nod. The lovers nodded back to their friends and made for the door.

They advanced towards the stage entrance, but just before they came to the final stretch leading to the site of their battle, they glanced at each other. The fire was still there, and more powerful than ever. As if acting on the very same impulse, they grabbed each other and forced themselves into the side hall yet again. This time Dawn forced Ash into the wall, exerting surprising power for her small size. She hungrily kissed him with a strange power that he had never felt from the girl. He returned it with the same carnal force, flipping their positions so now she was on the wall instead. He ran his hands over her body, and she did the same. It was an absolute thrill that coursed through their veins and nerves. It was greater than their first time and every successive time after that. They almost wanted to rip each other's clothes right then and there. If it weren't for the call to battle that sounded through the hall moments later, they might very well have done so.

"Spotlight," he told her teasingly.

"I choose you," she cheekily replied.

They pulled apart and walked shoulder to shoulder to the threshold where the hall met the arena. When they heard the announcer shout their names, they gave each other one last high five before they walked into the fray.


	13. Chapter 13: Through Passion and Fear

**Chapter 13 – Through Passion and Fear **

"Ladies and gentlemen! This is a battle you'll sure to marvel at. One is an exceptionally talented coordinator who has come close to winning many Grand Festivals! Across from her is her long-time friend and decorated veteran of many Pokémon league competitions, and a man known for weaving his way out of nearly any tight spot. I give you Dawn and Ash! The first battle of our competition!" Lilian Meridian shouted out to the cheering crowd, "So! Let's get busy!" She threw a set of sideways punches as she emphasized her catchphrase, revving the audience even further.

True to Lilian's words, Ash and Dawn stood across from one another on the battlefield with locked eyes. They were smiling, but they were also glaring at one another. Neither was angry with the other, but both were determined to outdo the other in an effort to test each other.

They nodded to each other and each pulled out a pokéball. Ash smirked as he reached for his. But there was something different about it. This did not escape Dawn's notice and her face took a puzzled form. She shouted across the field, "Ash... don't tell me you forgot to put a seal on your pokéball."

Ash only continued to smile deviously and he returned the criticism with a sly, if somewhat cryptic answer, "Oh, this Pokémon doesn't need a seal to make flashy entrance."

Dawn raised a curious eyebrow and then shook her head. Already she realized she was getting distracted by something trivial, and she needed to concentrate on the match to come. Together they released their Pokémon.

"Typhlosion! Spotlight!"

"Noctowl! I choose you!"

The bipedal fire-type burst into existence in a flurry of red flames, which he quickly dispersed with a roar of dominance as he slammed feet-first into the dirt battlefield. Meanwhile, Ash's perfectly normal pokéball yielded a cascading ring of sparkles which emanated from the form of Ash's brilliantly coloured owl.

"Oh wow! What a unique and vibrant looking Pokémon!" Lilian adored the smaller-than-average-sized owl, "Its yellow and red plumage is such a delight to see! And those shimmering sparkles weren't from a seal folks. That was the rare nature of his Pokémon on display!"

"Wow... didn't expect that," Dawn spoke, her voice flat but her eyes wide in surprise. Dawn had seen many of Ash's pokemon as he rotated them through his journey in Kanto and Sinnoh, but to that point, she had yet to meet this one. She honestly didn't know what to expect.

"Your Typhlosion is looking really good! Hard to believe it used to be that little Cyndaquil!" Ash complimented, "I know this is gonna be a great battle! Let's give them one they won't forget!"

Dawn's face returned to its original, steely ready arrangement and she replied eagerly, "Absolutely!"

"Begin the match!" Lilian cried out as the five-minute timer appeared on the electronic board above them.

"Ascend!" Ash commanded immediately. The owl took off from its resting position on the field, temporarily putting it out of reach of the Volcano Pokémon.

"Hurry and use eruption before it gets too high!" Dawn countered.

The giant badger roared in fury before pounding his forelegs into the earth. Immediately, the earth shook and a geyser of flame erupted beneath Noctowl. The bird's eyes bugged out before it was struck dead-on by the searing attack. The sheer power caused Noctowl to shoot up further into the sky before beginning to plummet downwards again. A portion equivalent to nearly an eighth of Ash's points disappeared from the ring that denoted his total on the scoreboard.

"That was really fast," Ash commented. He had seen Dawn's Pokémon in action before, but she had clearly been training him hard recently, and didn't realize just how well they had been able to cut down on the execution time of the attack. But he was determined to not let the match end there.

"Now! Jump and use wild charge!" Dawn followed up. Typhlosion stomped on the ground once on all fours before taking on a layer of electricity around itself, making him glow a brilliant gold as he began his dash towards the falling opponent. The fire-type jumped into the air once he got close enough and beamed straight towards Noctowl. This impressive display only served to help diminish Ash's points further.

"Hypnosis!"

"Use-," it was no good. Dawn's command to save her competitor had no chance of being finished before Ash's Noctowl spun out of its apparent limp fall. Its eyes took on an ethereal blue glow before launching a purple psionic ring which struck Typhlosion without warning. The great badger lost his electric sheen and fell back to earth in a ragged heap. Ash smiled as he saw Dawn's points take their first hit of the match.

Ash's satisfaction only grew wider with his next attack, "Dream eater!" Once again, Noctowl's eyes glimmered with light; but this time it was a more potent red. The same colour of energy seemed to rise out of Typhlosion, who shivered in his sleep as a result. The cloud of red energy was sucked into the feathered 'horns' atop Noctowl's head, which glowed brilliantly afterward. Noctowl spread its wings wide and cried victoriously as its previous burns and charred feathers took their original shade of red and pale yellow. Noctowl was completely healed.

"What a brilliantly executed maneuver!" Lilian cheered as Dawn's points took a rather large hit.

"Ah! Typhlosion! You need to wake up! I need your help if we want to win this contest!" Dawn pleaded to her slumbering Pokémon.

* * *

"Wow, Ash is doing pretty well," Zoey admitted as she looked on the TV screen from the waiting room.

"I used that same strategy on him with my Politoed this week," Misty told her with some pride, "Except it was my Politoed that came in close for the attack so it couldn't be avoided. But he was patient enough to wait for Dawn to do it instead."

"I still can't believe he has such a unique Pokémon. I've never seen a Noctowl coloured like that before," Zoey admired.

"Yeah! He caught it in Johto when I still used to travel with him. It's been a pretty powerful member of Ash's team for a long time," Misty recounted.

"I actually have to admit; not using a seal to show off his Pokémon's natural flair was a great move on Ash's part. It's actually something many coordinators might forget," Zoey spoke with an impressed tone. But her tone grew critical and she continued, "But Ash can't get comfortable. If I know Dawn, she'll figure a way out of this. If there's one thing those two have in common, it's their knack for unprecedented comebacks."

* * *

"Sky attack!"

Ash's command was followed by a loud caw from Noctowl as it soared into the open-air of the battlefield and began to glow a brilliant white. Dawn's points suffered once again as a result, bringing her close to half. Soon the owl began its shrieking descent on the prone badger.

"Please! Wake up!" Dawn screamed to her companion. It seemed that the cries of his trainer finally woke him up, because Typhlosion's eyes snapped open. However, it was not soon enough to save him from the perfectly executed sky attack. Noctowl swooped past, marring the fire-type as it smashed into him, only to gracefully soar back into the sky. The successful attack once again stole some of Dawn's points.

Despite this new injury, Typhlosion stood up quickly and angrily. He roared a challenging cry at his opponent, to which the owl merely tilted its head in an analytic manner.

"Air slash!" Ash ordered quickly. Noctowl began flapping its wings quickly, conjuring spinning blades of white wind energy that hurdled towards the grounded fire-type.

"Dig!" Dawn instructed. The badger dug his way into the dirt field. Leaving the blades of spinning air to merely impact the dirt and throw up some dust to conceal his escape. It was Ash's turn to lose some points.

"Keep an eye out, she's planning something," Ash counselled his flying-type. The bird nodded and kept making visual sweeps of the field below. It was smart enough to know this wasn't all the fire-type had to offer.

"Flame-wheel!"

Bursting straight out of the ground directly beneath Noctowl's airborne position, the flame wreathed badger launched himself in a flurry of flames and rocks. The beast soared intently towards the alarmed bird.

"Hypnosis!" Ash called as he saw its quick approach.

"Not this time! Counter-shield!" Dawn ordered enthusiastically.

Spinning in mid-air, the flame wheel that enshrouded the badger grew into a set of rings emanating from his mouth. As the spin went on, the rings grew in size and in their distance from the source. It was a marvellous sight, and caused Ash to lose points not only because of the spectacle, but because the hypnosis dissipated on contact with the barrier. Both Ash and Dawn's minds immediately snapped back to years earlier, when Ash first adapted the move against Fantina to counter the exact same hypnosis tactic.

"Get away!" Ash cried desperately, realizing he had dawdled too long in the distant memories. The owl began its hasty retreat, but was clipped at the last second, sending the bird spiraling towards Dawn's end of the field. Typhlosion, seeing this, cut his counter-shield and landed deftly on his hind legs, letting out a roar of victory.

"Well done, Dawn," Ash complimented slyly, "But we've both used counter-shield for a long time. I've come up with ways around it!"

"How?"

"You'll see," his tone turning confident, "Noctowl! Hypnosis!"

Dawn didn't want to give him to opportunity to implement his new strategy, so instead she took a different route, "Dig!"

The badger burrowed into the earth again, much to the chagrin of both Ash and Noctowl. Ash gave Noctowl an odd order, "Stay on the ground this time. Feel for the vibrations with your feet."

Noctowl did just that, holding its position and closing its eyes. Soon enough, the bird felt the rumble beneath its feet, and squawked to warn Ash, "Now get up and use air slash straight down!"

"Typhlosion, stop!" Dawn tried to warn her fire-type. However, it was too late, as the badger burst from the ground, only to find several blades of powerful wind pounding him back into the earth from which he sprang.

"Hypnosis!"

"Not again!" Dawn growled, "Back underground and come out away from Noctowl." The ring of psychic energy impacted harmlessly in the now vacant hole. As ordered, Typhlosion emerged from the field near Dawn while Noctowl sat contentedly on the field with its gaze leveled at its opponent.

"Now are you willing to see what I was talking about?" Ash asked coyly.

"By all means," Dawn retorted.

"Hypnosis!"

"Counter-shield!"

The wave of psychic energy began its journey across the field while Typhlosion created his barrier once again. Ash was smiling widely as he executed his plan, "Air slash on the ground near Typhlosion!" The air slash was quickly conjured and streaked across the field, overtaking the hypnosis and cutting into the earth just in front of the fire-type. The force of the impact and the dust cloud it shook up caused Typhlosion to lose balance and the counter-shield grew unstable, collapsing unceremoniously.

"Dig to get away!" Dawn nearly panicked as she gave the order. As the dust cleared, a large hole was seen and Ash nearly cursed. The Volcano Pokémon had just managed to barely escape.

Ash managed to glimpse the point totals before turning his attention back to the field. With barely a minute left, Dawn had a quarter of hers left, while Ash had just a sliver more after the recent deduction for his missed attack.

"Eruption! Turn the field upside down!" Dawn smiled as she gave the order. She knew there was no way Noctowl would avoid this, flying or not. As predicted, the field began to shake as parts of it glowed red. Soon, columns of fire burst from underground, throwing chunks of rocks with it. Soon the airspace was riddled with chunks of stone of all sizes.

"Protect yourself with air slash!" Ash instinctively instructed. Noctowl did just that, turning and flapping its wings in a hectic frenzy to split and bat away large stones that threatened to impact the bird with its razor sharp air attacks.

"Hurry! Come out and let's finish this the way we practiced!" Dawn ordered.

Even as rocks were still landing, Typhlosion burst from the earth once again and began to surround himself lightning as it began to use wild charge.

"Hypnosis!" Ash commanded, seeing the imminent threat.

"Jump and spin yourself into a flame wheel!" Dawn called confidently. Even as he jumped and fire poured from its mouth, the lightning sheath persisted along the fur of Typhlosion. Soon he was engulfed in a sparkling combination of blazing fire and crackling electricity. Ash couldn't believe his eyes. The hypnosis glanced right off the menacing combination attack as though it were nothing. Ash realized what this was. It was a combination of a compacted counter-shield and a moving attack. It was invulnerability incarnate.

_Brilliant, Dawn, as always,_ he thought to himself, pride welling up inside him.

_I really wanted to save this for the finals, it was my secret weapon! But I have no choice. Ash pushed me to my limit. I should have expected nothing less from him,_ Dawn's thoughts rang in her head with mutual respect for her boyfriend and opponent.

Ash knew that he was finished, but he wouldn't let that stop him from trying, "Sky attack!"

Noctowl barely had the time to store up the energy necessary before launching itself at its opponent. The collision caused an explosion of energy which caused two forms to fly in two directions. Typhlosion landed on his back, and recoiled at the coursing electricity that temporarily overloaded its body. Noctowl crashed to the ground right in front of Ash. It's feathers were scorched and a few sparks of electricity pervaded its shaking form as well. Regardless of its injuries, both parties stood up to face each other. They glared at each other, but not with contempt or hate, but respect. Noctowl nodded to its opponent before finally allowing itself to slump to the ground.

With three seconds on the clock, the judges all buzzed the unconscious owl to indicate a victory by knockout in favour of Dawn, which was further confirmed by Lilian's enthusiastic announcement. Dawn's face and that of her Typhlosion took up the entirety of the scoreboard as a confetti-adorned title of 'winner' flashed beneath her name. The blunette jumped and cheered as only she could.

Ash kneeled down to his valiant owl and patted its head as it slowly regained consciousness. He told it softly, "That was a fantastic battle Noctowl. You should be proud. Both Dawn and that Typhlosion are very tough." The owl cooed into Ash's arm in thanks. Ash was about to return it to his pokéball when a loud grunt came from in front of them. Typhlosion stood there with one of its forepaws extended. Ash picked up the small owl and brought it forward. With all the strength it could muster, Noctowl raised one of its wings and allowed the badger to grasp it. They shook like real sportsmen-like competitors, which elicited another loud cheer from the already deafening crowd.

Dawn came up from behind her large Pokémon and smiled sweetly, and it was all Ash could do not to pull her into a kiss right then and there. Despite his reservations against public displays of affection, he couldn't help but think that he loved her more right now than he ever did before. They did the next best thing though: the two competitors gave each other a high five.

"That was fantastic Dawn! That last move was probably your greatest invention!" Ash praised.

"It was only possible with you, Ash. You inspire me every day," Dawn whispered. Ash only barely heard her over the cheers of the crowd which was only now beginning to die down. The compliment brought and even wider smile to his face as he locked eyes with his girlfriend. He returned Noctowl to its capsule and walked off stage with Dawn as she mirrored his actions. They barely got to the hallway before Ash shoved Dawn into the adjoining side hall yet again and pulled Dawn into another wild kiss. He wanted to make it last, but he knew that they were expected back in the waiting room.

"We need to meet up with Misty before her match," Ash told her, his voice still dripping with need.

Just as breathlessly, she responded, "Yeah. I guess we should." They giggled at one another, knowing what the other wanted, but knowing at the same time they had a responsibility as friends.

* * *

"I honestly don't know if I've ever seen Ash so focused in a battle. Maybe I saw shades of that in my battle against him this week, but this was... different somehow," Misty speculated, staring at the replays on the TV of the battle that had just finished.

Zoey had to resist the urge to just say why. She knew the exact reason. It was some strange combination of their love for battling, coupled with their love for one another that seemed to give the battle an intensity that she had never seen. Rather than divulging this information though, she respected Dawn's request and simply said, "Yeah, this is the most focused I've seen Dawn. And I've met her in battle in many Grand Festivals. There's something about those two when they battle."

As though summoned, the two battlers walked through the door to meet the two conversing redheads. They heard the footsteps of the arrivals and turned to meet them.

"Ash! Dawn!" Misty gave her adulations, "That was a fantastic battle! Probably the best contest battle I've ever witnessed, and I usually watch the Wallace Cup every year, so that's saying a lot!"

Dawn launched herself into another flying hug which latched onto Misty with perfect accuracy. Misty was taken by surprise, but relaxed into the hug after regaining her balance. Dawn squealed into Misty's ear, "Thank you! Thank you! That means a lot! It was such a great battle! And it was so fun!" She finally unhooked herself from Misty and Zoey caught her attention.

"That was really intense, both of you should be proud," Zoey smiled sincerely as she shook Ash's hand and then received a hug from Dawn.

"Misty, you're up!" the usher interrupted.

Misty took a deep breath and spoke with confidence, "Ok. I know I can do this!"

"Of course you can, Misty!" Ash cheered.

"You'll do great! No need to worry!" Dawn reassured her.

"If your appeal was anything to go by, you'll have no issues," Zoey joined in.

"Thanks guys. I'll try to not to disappoint you," Misty bowed her head in affirmation and thanks to her friends' support.

"You could never disappoint us, Misty," Ash told her confidently. Misty's heart fluttered slightly at his comment. She could only hope that he would see her as she saw him one day, though she was happy with the fact that Ash still thought so highly of her, even after she had shut him out for years. She turned and walked through the doors to the hallway.

The light of the stage at the end of the hall was still somewhat unnerving to her. It reminded her of the water shows she performed when she was younger alongside her sisters. She wasn't a huge fan of performing in front of an audience in that way, but it was nice to be adored in the same manner as her sisters. This was different though. This wasn't about her beauty being on display. Rather, it was a showcase of her Pokémon. In that sense, it was even more important. She suspected it was a trait that she had picked up from Ash; that the welfare of her Pokémon and their desires and goals may have surpassed even her own.

She met her cowboy hat-wearing opponent at the threshold to the arena. He nodded wordlessly to her as they were called forward to the field. Lilian began her announcements, "Now, once again, Cerulean City's own gym leader! Kanto's best Water Pokémon Trainer, Misty!" Misty almost blushed at the idea she was best in Kanto. She didn't know if that was true, and she definitely knew she still couldn't hold a candle to her hero, Lorelei, who was just as much a water-trainer as she was an ice-trainer. Misty took her place at one end of the arena while her opponent did the same at the opposite. Lilian concluded her introduction, "And challenging her is an up and coming coordinator who made a good name for himself in last year's Sinnoh Grand Festival. He made it to the top 16. Some call him the Sinnoh's Pokémon Pilgrim. It's Wayne of Oreburgh City!"

The boy across from Misty tipped his hat politely and gave her a low, "Howdy ma'am."

Misty honestly didn't know what to make of him. He seemed nice enough, but his western getup what almost beyond ridiculous. He had it all: the hat, the boots complete with spurs, cotton shirt with a tauros emblem capped drawstring, tight jeans, and a black half-done-up vest with a golden sheriff's star on his upper left chest. In the sight of this she gave an awkward, "Hi..."

"No disrespect to your position ma'am, but I do believe I heard something rather disturbing come from you when we were waiting in the back during the appeals," Wayne began.

"What?" Misty was confounded by this boy and the direction he was taking this conversation.

Her opponent continued in his southern accented voice, "It appears that you are not a fan of a particular type of Pokémon. That's a shame, because I happen to hold some of that particular breed very close to my heart."

Misty still held a look of confusion on her face before her eyes widened in realization. The boy was tossing a pokéball up and down in his hand. She knew what was coming, and didn't like it one bit. Misty began to shake as the man tossed the ball into the air and she almost cringed. It released a blast of energy, flanked by green confetti, which formed into a shape she knew would send shivers down her spine. Floating lightly above the field with periodic flaps of its wings was a Mothim.

Misty, not wanting to embarrass herself had to restrain herself from screaming out in terror. Even with the passing of the years, her dislike of bugs had not abated; not even a little. She managed to, barely, keep her composure as she reached for her pokéball.

"It's just a Pokémon, like any other," she told herself quietly, "It's just a Pokémon, like any other." She repeated it to herself in a mantra as she focused on the coming battle. She looked up at what she perceived to be a 'vile and disgusting creature' and held her gaze strong. As gym leader, she had to deal with a bug type now and then. She had developed strategies to help steel herself against what was perhaps her greatest fear; and right now she was employing all of them. Coupled with the crowd in the stands watching her, not to mention the TV cameras showing the contest to what was certain to be at least millions of viewers at home, she was quickly becoming a nervous wreck. Still she wouldn't let this beat her. "I am a trainer, gym leader, aspiring Water Pokémon Master. I haven't come this far just to just let my fears get the better of me!" she whispered to herself determinedly. Her eyes leveled from the hovering Pokémon to the trainer that commanded it.

"Are you gonna send out your Pokémon, or can I just declare myself the winner, here?" the boy taunted, "I would prefer a fight to show you that bug types are more than the slimy vermin you think they are, ma'am." He tipped his hat back to reveal his strong eyes. He was ready to fight for his partner it seemed.

* * *

"This can't be good," Dawn remarked worryingly as she saw the Pokémon Misty's opponent sent out on the TV screen.

"What's her deal with bug-types?" Zoey asked, "I don't get it."

"No one knows. Never talks about it," Ash stated plainly.

"Has anyone asked?" Zoey pressed.

"She goes off in a list about all the things she hates about them when you ask," Ash answered dryly, "But if you keep it up and find out what caused it, she just gets all angry. Last time I tried to pry, she hit me with a mallet."

Zoey raised a curious eyebrow at the response and just turned her head slowly back to the TV. Dawn was growing more worried for her best friend and began to wail, "She hasn't sent out her Pokémon yet! If she doesn't she'll get disqualified!"

"Calm down Dawn," Ash reassured her, holding his girlfriend close, "She might not like them, but there's no way she's letting a bug get the best of her. When push comes to shove, she'll hammer a bug. Believe me; I've been on the wrong end of that exchange."

Just as Ash said, they saw the TV projection of Misty reach back and grab her pokéball. She drew back her arm and tossed it onto the field to reveal her Pokémon. Through the cloud of bubbles emerged a pink, coral-like Pokémon.

"OH! Corsola! It's such a cutie!" Dawn gushed. Ash couldn't help but chuckle at the similarity in his girlfriend's reaction to Misty's own when she saw one for the first time.

"It's a good match-up," Zoey commented, "In terms of type-advantage, Misty has got it covered, but with her state of mind, it will still be a hard fight for her."

"Misty's got this," Ash enthused, "I know it!" He turned and ran from the room without a moment's notice while Pikachu hung on for dear life on his shoulder.

"Ash! Where are you going?" Dawn screeched, seeing her boyfriend almost vanish from beside her.

Ash managed a response from the hall just before leaving their line of sight, "She needs support out there! I'm not in the competition anymore so I can go sit in the audience!"

Dawn was left standing there wide-eyed while Zoey's eyes narrowed in suspicion. The redheaded coordinator made an almost imperceptible growl as thoughts raced through her mind.

"I'll be back," Zoey stated bluntly as she walked out in the direction Ash went.

"Are you going to cheer for Misty too?" Dawn asked in puzzlement.

Zoey stammered for half a moment then answered, "No, I need to use the restroom. Tell me how Misty did when I get back." Dawn nodded and turned back to the screen as Zoey walked out. The top coordinator followed the route she knew led to the stands and she climbed the stairway to the upper level, the only place she knew there were empty seats left. She scanned the rows of seats and finally found Ash, sitting in the row closest to the balcony edge. She didn't join him, instead choosing to watch him from the stairwell entrance. She could see he was on the edge of his seat and incredibly eager.

* * *

The crowd was especially loud, but one voice managed to catch Misty's ear. It was a familiar voice that echoed from the upper stands. Her attention was snatched to its source and her heart grew a few pounds lighter than it had been the last few dreadful minutes. She saw the distant form of Ash and he was practically leaning against the rails and shouting down to her, "You've got this Misty! I believe in you! We all do! Do it for us!"

Her nervous frown managed to twitch up into a small, relieved smile. Despite all her attempts to shut him out, and then her sudden and possibly unfair confession to him out of nowhere; he still was her greatest supporter.

_Damnit Ash, you make it too hard to stop loving you. _She focused her thoughts on the field again as her eyes fell back upon her opponent.

"Let the battle begin!" Lilian announced.

"Mothim, give the lovely lady's pokemon a taste of your bug buzz!" the hat-toting trainer called out. Harsh, high pitched sound waves streaked outward from the bug-flying type, threatening to cause great harm to Corsola.

"Mirror coat!" Misty called strongly. Corsola began to shimmer with all the colours of the rainbow as the uncouth sound waves approached. Once they hit, they simply changed direction, rebounding towards Mothim.

"Dang!" the cowboy shouted angrily, "Fly high to dodge!" The moth, eyes widening at the return of its own attack, eagerly complied and flew above the waves to safety.

At least that's what it thought. "Scald!" Misty commanded with a smirk. Corsola knew exactly where to aim the boiling water that was ejected from its mouth. Aiming ahead of Mothim's flight path, it easily struck the flying insect which let out an unholy shriek as it plummeted back to the earth. It was sizzling by the time it struck the dirt of the battlefield.

"Earth power!" Misty continued her momentum. Corsola began to glow a brilliant white before it bounced on the ground, striking it with great force. Cracks stretched quickly across the field and surrounded the bug-type who was now vulnerable to ground-type attacks.

"Hurry and get out of there!" Wayne cried out to his bug type. But it was no use. Soaked and burned at the same time, Mothim was in terrible shape and could barely move its wings. The cracks spread, moving from their misshapen circle around the bug to directly under it, where they began to erupt in powerful golden energy. The bug screeched out in terror before the battle ended with its knockout.

"Wow! Only forty-five seconds into the match, Misty pulverizes her opponent!" Lilian was in awe, "Congratulations!" Misty looked up to the board to see her face now took up most of the screen along with the cute visage or her Coral Pokémon. Wayne could only stare with his mouth agape at how soundly he had been beaten.

Misty quickly ran onto the field to hug her dual water-rock type and immediately began praising it, "That was great! I knew you would take down that awful, awful bug for me! Wonderful job, Corsola!" The pink Pokémon began chanting its name cutely as it basked in both her compliments and the cheers of the crowd. Misty returned it to her pokéball and began walking to the stage exit and decided to look up to the balcony to see if Ash was there. He was not.

Her expression drooped slightly, but it was short lived as she saw someone round the corner from where the main hallway intersected the stairwell. Ash stood there, beaming at her. Misty returned his gaze, her eyes glistening with emotion. She ran over and hugged him tightly.

"Thanks, Ash," she spoke into his shoulder, "You always were there for me when it mattered."

"Not as much as I would've liked to have been," he returned, rubbing her back to comfort her.

"That was my fault. Not yours," Misty told him pulling her head from his shoulders and looking straight at his wonderful face.

"I understand why you did what you did. I just wish I knew earlier. Maybe things might've gone differently. I was just too stupid to see it when I was a kid... and a teenager," Ash confessed.

"Oh... you were so dense... but it's ok. I love everything else about you," Misty spoke to him sweetly, but gasped as she realized she told him yet again the embarrassing truth about herself. But Ash didn't let go of her. He held her just as tightly as a moment ago. He didn't seem awkward or scared off about it. Not like the night at the club.

_Is he just being nice? Is he hiding the fear he showed that night. Or... have his feelings for me changed? Or did he have them all along and just didn't understand?_ Misty's mind reeled with the possibilities and the thrill of the conclusion that each successive one brought to her mind. Each speculation brought her that just another drop of hope in a well that she had thought had run dry.

They just stared into each other's eyes. Ash could see the very clearly evident look of love that burned in her shimmering orbs. Misty, for the life of her, thought she could see the same fire. It was tempered by something, and didn't burn as hotly as hers, but it was there all the same. The fact that she saw it all filled her to the brim with an almost euphoric level of happiness. All that had to be done now was figure out what kept that fire burning as lowly as it did, and maybe she would finally get through to him.

Ash's mind was at war with itself. He loved Dawn, he truly did. But at the same time, this vision of Misty before him was utter brilliance. Her sweet smile, sea-green eyes that made him want to dive straight in, her vibrant red hair that seemed like a fire that threatened to draw him in like the moth she had just vanquished, and that dress that fitted her form so perfectly yet left her looking so regal. He was suddenly, and was very nearly overwhelmed by, the urge to kiss her. He wanted to taste her for real, not just in his dreams. But he didn't. He had so very nearly done so at the club, but had halted himself at a fraction of an inch from contact. She was a dream to him. He briefly wondered if he was asleep right now, but the feeling of her arms on him that was slightly tight, though enjoyable, reminded him this was blissfully real. Yet at the same time, the guilt gnawed at the back his mind like so many pins being jabbed into him. Misty and Dawn tore at his mind from different angles, and he knew it was going to drive him mad sooner or later.

An announcement on the PA in the hall broke their concentration and they finally separated. Ash let out an awkward cough and told Misty, "We'd better get back. Dawn and Zoey will want to see you and congratulate you for that curb-stomp match you just had." He said the words as though he intended it to sound more excited, but it came off as somewhat disappointed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said in the same dreary tone.

The two of them walked down the hall, not in any rush at all, and clearly enjoying each other's company. Ash kept sneaking peeks when he thought Misty wasn't watching, admiring her in that dazzling dress. Misty did the exact same, giving approving looks of Ash in his sharp suit when he averted his gaze. It was only when the two rounded the corner that led to the waiting room that a third person revealed herself from her hiding spot. From her place in the stairwell, Zoey poked her head out, her face written in anger.

Ash and Misty arrived back in the waiting room to and overjoyed Dawn, who once again nearly clobbered Misty in a bone-crunching hug. Misty managed to pry herself for the jubilant girl's grip as the blunette continued to shower her with compliments, "You did it! I knew you could beat those bugs! Overcoming your fears is always a great step! And you beat it so quickly! Three moves? Unbelievable! Corsola was so powerful... and SO CUTE!" The line of praise seemed to just pour from Dawn mouth before Misty was able to get a word in edgewise.

"Dawn! Dawn!" Misty managed to overcome the energetic younger girl, "Thanks, it means a lot. I know without yours or Ash's support... I would have never been able to do that."

"See, Misty! You're born for the stage!" Dawn twirled to punctuate the point.

"Oh... I don't know about that. Coordinating has its appeal to be sure, but I think working to a master water trainer is still more my thing," Misty humbly replied.

"Either way, you're fantastic! I hope to see more of it." Dawn gushed, taking both of Misty's hands gently.

"Thanks, Dawn. That's so sweet of you to say," Misty accepted. She couldn't get over how nice Dawn was being. She suspected that maybe Dawn was trying to give her a road to follow that might get her out of the gym. It was nice of her of course, but she wasn't that interested in coordinating. But it was still something she felt like experiencing at least once. She was glad that Dawn had persuaded her into doing it. She couldn't help but want to please the vibrant coordinator and the bond they were forming over the event was one she would certainly cherish.

"Whoa! We missed most of it," Ash said quietly. In all the time that they had been chatting since they got back from the stage, they saw that not only had they missed the match that had come before Zoey's but they now saw Zoey on the television screen. Her face was the picture of stone-faced determination as she was completely dominating her match against her opponent's Ampharos.

"And that's a knockout! Zoey certainly showing off why she's a top coordinator today as she expertly controls her opponent's every move," Lilian's voice filtered through the television.

The trio watched her as she left the stage, and they noted something odd. Even though she had just won, and by quite a fair margin, she still had a cold look on her face. It was as though she didn't feel any joy from her battle.

"She looks different since she left the waiting room," Dawn remarked quietly.

"I didn't see her when we got back," Ash observed, "Where was she?"

"Oh... she said she had to go to the restroom, and then I guess she went straight to her match," Dawn explained.

"I hope she's alright. She seems in a downright bad mood," Misty spoke, her voice laced with concern.

Zoey returned to the coordinators' waiting room with the same cold, almost detached look as before. Dawn ran up to her and asked her quickly, "Zoey, is something the matter?"

Zoey's face softened as she looked at Dawn. Her glance flickered towards Ash almost unnoticeably and her face turned rigid again. Zoey's stern, low voice told Dawn, "I'll talk about it later. Let's keep our mind on the contest for now."

"Ok..." Dawn accepted awkwardly. She wasn't sure what this was about, but she knew that anything that made Zoey like this was serious.

Zoey went to stand off by herself while Dawn returned to the group. They looked at her expectantly and Dawn merely shrugged and told them, "She said she'd tell me after the contest was over." Both Ash and Misty raised puzzled eyebrows as they glanced over to the top coordinator who was now absentmindedly looking at the television screen.

"And here are the matches for the next round!" Lilian's voice rang from the screen. The room's denizens turned their heads towards the TV to see the semi-final match-ups. The portraits shuffled around briefly before arranging themselves into two pairs.

The first pairing was Zoey versus a blonde-haired woman with a pink sun-hat with a pair of stylish sunglasses perched atop the brim.

The second was Misty versus Dawn.


End file.
